Justice does not stop at the end of a trial, once the sentence has been pronounced. Of course, the author is fixed. But for victims, the case is often far from over. Compensation for damages is ordinarily deferred to a subsequent hearing. “It is a long and not calm river for the civil parties”, explains the Thionvillois magistrate in charge of civil interests in Thionville.
Evaluate the consequences for the victims
All you have to do is attend one of his monthly hearings to see him. No bars or platforms in this room on the courthouse floor. A long table carries about sixty stacked files. Lawyers, robed or not, save words. Here they do not declare themselves, written conclusions are exchanged, expert reports and counter-experts respond, they ask for measures. The advice is not mandatory but it seems essential.
The merits of the case are not mentioned. “It’s not about putting the cover back on, judging…
