DRIVING OFFENSES, JUDGES IN THE FRONT LINE | TF1 | Reportages

Before the courts, you have multi-repeat offenders and professional criminals. And then you have the others. The “ordinary” drivers, who one day commit an offense. Driving offenses make up one third of sentences passed in France. Excess speed, driving under the influence of alcohol or simply refusing to give way… No case is like any other. So, in their sentencing, judges take account of the character and attitude of the accused. However, judges and prosecutors must, first and foremost, apply the law. What is the correct punishment? Exceptionally, the High Court of Evreux in the Eure, allowed us to look in on their deliberations. Where people judge other people.

For three months, we had special permission to set up our cameras in the courtrooms of the Evreux High Court. Blending into the daily round of the court, we followed the work of the magistrates and the legal path followed by a number of traffic offenders and gathered the personal reflections of victims.