The costs of criminal, correctional and police justice shall be borne by the State and without recourse against the convicted person or the civil party, subject to the cases provided for in the last two paragraphs of this article.
However, where application is made of articles 177-2 or 212-2 against the civil party whose claim has been deemed to be abusive or dilatory, the legal costs corresponding to the expert reports ordered at the request of the latter may, in accordance with the procedures set out in these articles, be charged to the latter by the examining magistrate or the investigating chamber. This paragraph does not apply in criminal cases and in cases of offences against the person provided for in Book II of the Criminal Code or where the civil party has obtained legal aid.
Where the convicted person is a legal entity, the legal costs incurred in the course of the proceedings are charged to it. This is also the case where the legal entity has entered into a judicial public interest agreement referred to in articles 41-1-2 and 41-1-3 of this code. The court may, however, derogate from this rule and decide that all or part of the legal costs are to be borne by the State.