Parquet

The parquet is, in some countries, including France, the prosecution service. The parquet g?n?ral is the prosecution service of a cour d'appel or the Cour de Cassation.

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The word literally means "wooden floor"; this is because, as opposed to the judges, who sit on an elevated platform during trials, the prosecution pleads standing on the floor.

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This also explains why the judges are sometimes referred to as "sitting magistrates" (magistrature assise) or "magistrates of the Seat" (magistrats du si?ge) while the prosecutors are sometimes referred to as "standing magistrates" (magistrature debout).

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France: The French Republic or France (: R?publique fran?aise or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents....

Prosecution: REDIRECT Prosecutor...

Cour d'appel: REDIRECT Appellate court...