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Article 269-1 of the French Code of Criminal Procedure

Where the accused has not been duly informed, as the case may be, of his indictment or of his status as a party to the proceedings, of the notice of the end of the judicial investigation or of the committal order and where this failure is not the result of a manoeuvre on his part or of his negligence, he may submit a request to the president of the investigating chamber, even if the committal order has become final and no later than three months before the date of his appearance before the assize court, challenging any irregularities in the information procedure.

The president of the investigating chamber rules within one month, in the light of the written observations of the accused or his lawyer and the written observations of the public prosecutor, in a reasoned decision that may be appealed to the Supreme Court.
If the accused fails to lodge this appeal, the committal order covers the procedural defects.

Original in French 🇫🇷
Article 269-1

Lorsque l’accusé n’a pas été régulièrement informé, selon le cas, de sa mise en examen ou de sa qualité de partie à la procédure, de l’avis de fin d’information judiciaire ou de l’ordonnance de mise en accusation et que cette défaillance ne procède pas d’une manœuvre de sa part ou de sa négligence, il peut saisir le président de la chambre de l’instruction, alors même que l’ordonnance de mise en accusation est devenue définitive et au plus tard trois mois avant la date de sa comparution devant la cour d’assises, d’une requête contestant les éventuelles irrégularités de la procédure d’information.


Le président de la chambre de l’instruction statue dans un délai d’un mois, au vu des observations écrites de l’accusé ou de son avocat et des observations écrites du ministère public, par une décision motivée susceptible de pourvoi en cassation.


A défaut pour l’accusé d’avoir exercé ce recours, l’ordonnance de mise en accusation couvre les vices de la procédure.

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