Voices from France: A Judge's Perspective

Judge Catherine Dupont of the Paris Tribunal Judiciaire reflects on judicial independence:

"The question of independence is complex. Formally, we have strong protections—life tenure, salary guarantees, disciplinary procedures. But independence is also a daily practice. It's resisting subtle pressures, maintaining distance from political debates, deciding cases solely on law and facts. The hardest challenges aren't dramatic political interference but resource constraints, overwhelming caseloads, and public criticism. True independence requires not just constitutional protections but adequate resources, public understanding, and professional courage. Every judge must be vigilant, because independence lost is nearly impossible to recover."