# Defense of American citizens and foreigners

Source: https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en/expertise/defense-of-american-citizens-and-foreigners

Since the admission of Alice OUAKNINE to the California State Bar (USA), the firm has developed a dedicated practice in the criminal defense of American citizens and English-speaking foreigners, suspected or prosecuted by the French authorities, or victims of crimes in France.

The firm offers its clients the opportunity to be accompanied by a bilingual lawyer, in all its practice areas, and at every stage of the French criminal justice process:

- During the preliminary investigation, we assist individuals held and questioned in police custody. We also assist victims in pressing charges by drafting and filing criminal complaints with the Public Prosecutor. Preliminary investigations can lead directly to trial, or to a pre-trial phase, called “Instruction”.

- During the pre-trial phase, or “Instruction”, the firm aids its clients preparing for, or avoiding, trial. The “Instruction” is a discovery phase carried out by an investigating judge, who conducts investigations necessary to establish the truth. We act as an intermediary between the judge and the client, by requesting investigation acts, preparing for questioning and taking all the necessary steps to avoid or limit pre-trial detention.

- During the trial phase, we represent our clients at all hearings before French courts, including the “Tribunal de Police”, “Tribunal Correctionnel” and “Cour d’assises”. The firm can also assist clients in appealing their verdicts and is qualified to represent them before the Court of appeal. Additionally, the firm can aid its clients in guilty pleas proceedings.

- After the verdict, we intervene to reduce criminal sentences, to delete criminal records and to collect damages.

The firm provides its English-speaking clients with a perfect understanding of the French criminal procedure and criminal law.

We offer our clients the opportunity to be accompanied by a member of both the Paris and the California State Bar, who will assist them in apprehending the legal and cultural differences that exist between the civil law heritage of French law and the common law heritage of American law.

The firm liaises with the client's foreign counsel and, where appropriate, with consular authorities, and addresses the consequences that French proceedings may carry abroad, in particular as regards entry requirements and professional reporting obligations.

## Expertise

- police custody and questioning
- criminal complaints, pre-trial detention
- trial and appeal
- sentence reduction and record expungement
- cross-border proceedings

## Pages

- [The Firm](https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en): home page: the practice in one sentence and its three main fields
- [The firm and Alice Ouaknine](https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en/about): the firm, Alice Ouaknine's background, working languages
- [Expertise](https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en/expertise): every field of practice
- [Publications](https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en/publications): the firm’s own writing, including the police-custody survival guide, and the press articles that quote it
- [Contact](https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en/contact): address, phone, mobile and email
- [ISKA network](https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en/iska): the network of independent attorneys the firm belongs to
- [Legal Terms](https://www.ouaknine-avocats.com/en/legal): legal notice and cookie policy

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Ouaknine Law Firm, 17 rue de Douai, 75009 Paris, France. +33 (0)1 84 16 20 35. cabinet@ouaknine-avocats.com

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