Finally, the Conseils de Prud'hommes is for cases involving labor disputes between and employer and an employee. This court also has limited jurisdiction over certain other labor matters. If one of the parties is unhappy with the outcome of a case in the lower courts, a case may be appealed in the Cour d'Appel. The Court de Cassation is the highest court in France and is comparable to the Supreme Court in the United States. This court bases its decisions on the law and not necesarrily the facts of the case.
Attorneys play an important role in most French trials.
An attorney is required for all cases being tried in the Tribunaux de Grande Instance and the Cour d'Appel. Only in matters of labor law and other lower occurances may the parties represent themselves. Only certain lawyers are allowed to argue cases before the Court de Cassation. Unlike American trials, where attorneys argue the case in front of a judge, French trial are mostly written. The two feuding parties exchange written statements, called pleadings, that contain the allegations of the facts and the legal arguments.