Lawyer – Extradition Law
in Paris

Are you subject to extradition proceedings? Has a European Arrest Warrant or an international arrest warrant been issued against you by a third country?

Engaging an experienced criminal defense lawyer in criminal law and criminal procedure helps protect your rights from the very first moments.

Maître Lois Pamela LESOT, attorney at the Paris Bar, represents you throughout France

Holding degrees in criminal law, international criminal law, and business criminal law, and trained at leading French and British universities (King’s College London, Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Kent Law School), Maître Lois Pamela LESOT puts her expertise at the service of criminal defense throughout France, including the overseas territories.

She assists you at every stage of the proceedings:

  • Advice and strategy from the moment of arrest and police custody
  • Challenging a European Arrest Warrant or an international arrest warrant
  • Analysis of the applicable law and procedure
  • Representation before the Indictments Chamber
  • Defense before the competent courts in France and abroad
  • Monitoring of the proceedings until the final decision

With experience gained in renowned law firms (Avi Bitton, William Julié, Collard & Associés…) and within courts (Paris Court of Appeal, International Criminal Court), she adopts a rigorous, human, and strategic approach to each case.

Areas of practice in extradition law

Verification of the applicable legal framework

  • Application of international conventions
  • Or application of the rules relating to the European Arrest Warrant (Articles 695-11 and following of the Code of Criminal Procedure)
  • Otherwise, application of ordinary extradition law (Articles 696 and following of the Code of Criminal Procedure)

Analysis of the request issued by the third country

  • Verification of the legal requirements, procedural defects, and grounds for nullity
  • Verification of time limits
  • Verification of the grounds for refusal of extradition

Defense before the Public Prosecutor General and the Indictments Chamber

  • Advice and assistance during appearance before the Public Prosecutor General
  • Development of the strategy, preparation of the defense, and drafting of a brief
  • Assistance and oral advocacy during hearings before the Indictments Chamber
  • Application of the principle of specialty

International criminal defense

  • Complex cross-border cases
  • Offences committed by a French national / against a French national abroad
  • Offences committed in France by / against foreigners
  • International crimes and specialized courts
  • International crimes and specialized courts
  • Advice and assistance in English

The stages of a criminal procedure in extradition law

1. Arrest and preliminary phase

  • Receipt of the extradition request through diplomatic channels
  • Possibility for the Public Prosecutor General to order the arrest of the person sought
  • Police custody
  • Requirement to receive the mandatory documents accompanying the extradition request within a 30-day period.

You may be assisted by a criminal defense lawyer specializing in extradition law from this stage of the proceedings onward.

2. Appearance before the Public Prosecutor General

  • Brought within 48 hours before the Public Prosecutor General.
  • Verification of the identity of the person sought, information on the situation, and notification of rights.
  • Possible placement under judicial supervision, house arrest, or extradition detention.

The lawyer may make submissions as soon as the appearance before the Public Prosecutor General and raise procedural nullities. They also explain your rights and the upcoming procedure. They have access to the case file and prepare your defense with you.

3. Appearance before the Indictments Chamber

  • Preparation of the defense, analysis of the case file, identification of procedural defects, examination of grounds for refusal of extradition (fundamental rights, nationality, statute of limitations, etc.), strategic decisions, and drafting of a written submission.
  • Hearings before the Indictments Chamber and oral pleadings.
  • Possibility of consenting to extradition (simplified procedure).
  • Application of the principle of specialty in the event of surrender.

The criminal defense lawyer adapts the strategy to the nature of the request, develops your arguments in writing (submissions) and orally (pleadings), and ensures that your rights are respected.

4. Decision and subsequent steps

  • Unfavorable opinion: release; favorable opinion: governmental decision by decree.
  • Appeal to the Court of Cassation against the ruling of the Indictments Chamber.
  • Challenge against the extradition decree (administrative proceedings).
  • Organisation of the surrender and monitoring of its execution (guarantees, deferral, specialty principle).
  • Connection with a lawyer in the requesting State if necessary.

The criminal defense lawyer continues to assist you even after the decision of the Indictments Chamber.

Your Criminal Defense with Maître Lois Pamela LESOT

Consult a lawyer: Maître Lois Pamela LESOT – +33 6 52 02 54 42 – lesot@loispamelalesot.com

The firm regularly assists and defends individuals subject to arrest warrants in the context of extradition proceedings or a European Arrest Warrant, as well as in all cases involving international criminal law and judicial cooperation between States.

Criminal cases lawyer in Paris
Sexual assault lawyer in Paris
Rape cases lawyer in Paris
Police custody lawyer in Paris
European Arrest Warrant lawyer in Paris

FAQ – Extradition Law Lawyer

What is an extradition procedure?

Extradition is the procedure by which one State, the requested State, agrees to surrender a person located on its territory to another State, the requesting State, which is seeking that person in order to prosecute them for the commission of a crime or an offense, or to enforce a sentence already imposed for such a crime or offense.

En droit français, la procédure et les conditions de l’extradition sont organisées par les articles 696 et suivants du Code de procédure pénale. Néanmoins, lorsqu’une Convention internationale a été signée entre la France et un Etat tiers, celle-ci s’applique en priorité. Ces Conventions sont de plus en plus nombreuses. Leur intérêt est de limiter le pouvoir discrétionnaire des Etats de consentir ou non à une demande d’extradition : l’exécution de l’extradition devient une obligation dès lors que les conditions posées par les stipulations de la Convention applicable sont réunies.

What is a European Arrest Warrant (EAW)?

The European Arrest Warrant is a simplified judicial procedure allowing a Member State of the European Union to request the arrest and surrender of a person sought in another Member State. In this respect, it replaces the lengthy traditional extradition procedures. Its implementation is governed by the Council Framework Decision of 13 June 2002, which was incorporated into French law by the constitutional decision of 25 March 2003: the European Arrest Warrant is now provided for in Articles 695-11 and following of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

For more information on extradition: here.
For more information on the European Arrest Warrant: here.

How does an extradition procedure work in France?

An extradition procedure begins with the receipt of an official request from a requesting State (a non-EU country) or with the issuance of a European Arrest Warrant.

The steps are:

  1. Arrest of the person sought
  2. Appearance before the Public Prosecutor General
  3. Appearance before the Indictments Chamber, which is responsible for verifying the legality and safeguards of the extradition request.
  4. Judicial decision, followed by a governmental decision.

A criminal defense lawyer assists you at every stage to protect your rights.

Can an extradition or a European Arrest Warrant be challenged?

Yes. The Indictments Chamber may issue an unfavorable opinion on extradition or surrender in certain cases, such as:

  • Risk of inhuman or degrading treatment in the requesting State
  • Statute of limitations of the offence
  • French nationality of the defendant
  • Lack of dual criminality

Your law firm can raise these grounds before the Indictments Chamber to prevent your extradition/surrender.

Why consult a lawyer in international criminal law?

International criminal law and extradition procedures require in-depth knowledge of treaties, conventions, and judicial practice. An international criminal law lawyer in Paris, experienced in criminal procedure and in defending individuals subject to arrest warrants, will be able to:

  • Challenge the extradition request or the European Arrest Warrant.
  • Protect your fundamental rights.

What is the difference between a European Arrest Warrant and a classic extradition procedure?

  • European Arrest Warrant (EAW): A procedure between EU Member States, fast, governed by the Framework Decision and transposed into the French Code of Criminal Procedure.
  • Classical extradition: A procedure between France and a non-EU country, which is longer, governed by bilateral or multilateral conventions or ordinary law, and often requiring a final governmental decision.

What are the time limits of extradition proceedings?

For a European Arrest Warrant, the decision must in principle be made within 60 days after the arrest.

In a standard extradition case, the procedure can take several months, or even longer in the event of appeals. A criminal defense lawyer in Paris can help speed up or delay the proceedings depending on your interests.

Can I be extradited to a non-European country?

Yes, if an extradition treaty exists between France and that country, or under ordinary extradition law. However, compliance with fundamental rights is always reviewed by the Indictments Chamber and the French government.

Need immediate defense?

Contact Maître Lois Pamela LESOT, criminal defense lawyer in Paris, for the prompt handling of your extradition case or European Arrest Warrant.

Maître Lois Pamela LESOT
+33 6 52 02 54 42
lesot@loispamelalesot.com