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Supreme Court — Part 16
Page 45
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Other countries have different traditions. The civil
law countries of Europe follow the “inquisitorial” prac-
tice—that is, the entire legal machinery revolves around
an effort to develop all the facts of the case, with con-
siderable emphasis upon interrogation and formal ques-
tioning of the prime suspect,
France provides an illustration of the inquisitorial
system. In France, most investigations of crime are con-
ducted by a judge d’instruction—a magistrate. He may
require the assistance of the police, but they function at
this stage under his direction. Interrogation of witnesses
inay be done by the police or by the magistrate himself.
The purpose of this investigation is two-fold: (1) to
determine whether there is any basis for further deten-
tion of the accused; and (2) to gather the fullest possible
information regarding the crime. At the formal inquiry
before the magistrate, the aecused must be advised of his
tights. He may have counsel. He may refuse to answer
questions, although in practice few suspects do, for the
refusal to cooperate is regarded with suspicion.*?. The
inagistrate holds his hearing, examines witnesses, and,
usually, obtains a statement from the accused. He pre-
pares a full report of the investigation and determines
whether there is to be a-trial.
The inquisitorial aspect of French criminal proeedure
carries over into the trial, which begins with the presid-
ing judge's interrogation of the accused. The defend-
ant is never placed under oath, thus avoiding putting
him to the dilemma of a choice between perjury and self-
inerinination.' ’
*Pieck, The Aceusedt’: Privilege Against SelfInerimination in the
Ciwil Law, 1) American Journal of Comp. L. 555, 598 (1962).
fd. at 586. On the Freneh procedure generally, see Devin,
English & French Legal Mothads: Crime, 4 Int. & Comp. L. Q.
376 (1955); Patev, Reeent Reforms in Freneh Criminal Law &
Procedure, & Int. & Comp. L. Q. 383 (1960); Kock, Criminal Pro-
ecedings in Franee, 9 American Journal of Comp. Law 253 (1900)-
Freed, Aspects of Freneh Criminal Procedure, 17 La. L. Rev. 720+
(1057),
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