French Code of civil procedure

In contentious matters, the appeal may only be directed against those who were parties at first instance. All those who were parties may be respondents. In non-contentious matters, the appeal is admissible even in the absence of other parties.

The appeal may be raised incidentally by the respondent both against the appellant and against the other respondents.

A cross-appeal may also be lodged, on the main or cross-appeal which gives rise to it, by any person, even if not a respondent, who was a party at first instance.

Subject to articles 905-2,909 and 910, the cross-appeal or the provoked appeal may be lodged, in any event, even if the person lodging it is precluded from acting as principal. In the latter case, however, it will not be entertained if the main appeal is not itself admissible or has lapsed. The court may order those who have refrained, with dilatory intent, from lodging their cross-appeal or provoked appeal sufficiently…

A cross-appeal or provoked appeal is lodged in the same way as cross-claims.

Where several parties are jointly and severally liable or indivisible, an appeal lodged by one of them retains the right of appeal of the others, unless the latter join the proceedings. In the same cases, an appeal against one of the parties reserves to the appellant the right to call the others to the proceedings. The court may order of its own motion the joinder of all the co-interested parties.

In the event of indivisibility with regard to several parties, an appeal by one party has effect with regard to the others even if they have not joined the proceedings; an appeal against one party is admissible only if all are called to the proceedings.

Persons who were neither parties nor represented at first instance or who appeared in another capacity may intervene on appeal if they have an interest in doing so.

These same persons may be called before the court, even for the purposes of conviction, when the progress of the dispute involves their being implicated.

Persons capable of compromising may waive the appeal. They may do so only in respect of rights of which they have free disposal.