Section 1: Common provisions

The judicial court has exclusive jurisdiction to hear at first instance disputes concerning the French or foreign nationality of natural persons, subject to the provisions set out in the Civil Code for criminal courts with a criminal jury. It also has jurisdiction to hear disputes relating to the refusal to issue a certificate of French nationality provided for in article 31-3 of the Civil Code. The exceptions of nationality and…

The judicial court with territorial jurisdiction is that of the place of residence of the person whose nationality is in question or, if that person does not live in France, the judicial court of Paris.

In all proceedings in which a challenge to nationality or to the refusal to issue a certificate of French nationality is raised as the main issue or as an incidental issue, a copy of the summons or the application or, where applicable, a copy of the submissions raising the challenge shall be lodged with the Ministry of Justice, which shall issue a receipt. The filing of documents may be replaced…

The judgment may not be provisionally enforced. The time limit for an appeal in cassation suspends enforcement of the judgment; an appeal in cassation brought within this time limit also suspends enforcement.