Pierre Arpaillange
Encyclopedia
Pierre Arpaillange is a French author, senior judge and former Government Minister.
") in 1962.
Seconded to the French Department of Justice from 1965 to 1974, Arpaillange became adviser to the Minister and, on several occasions, Chief of Staff for the Minister of Justice and Director of Criminal Affairs and Pardons at the Chancellery. He was also a member of the Haut Conseil de l'Audiovisuel ("High Council for the Audiovisual Industry") in 1973.
Adviser to the Supreme Court from 1974, he was promoted to Attorney General
at the Cour de Cassation in 1984. He became Keeper of the Seals
and Minister of Justice in Michel Rocard
's first and second governments (12 May 1988 to 1 October 1990). He famously committed a verbal blunder in the French National Assembly
.
He left the government in 1990 and now serves as a member of the Comité d'Honneur du Bicentenaire de la Cour des Comptes ("Bicentennial Committee of Honour of the Cour des Comptes
").
Career
After obtaining his law degree, Arpaillange began a judicial career in 1949. He became Secrétaire Général du Parquet de la Cour d'Appel de Paris ("Secretary Prosecutor General of the Paris Court of Appeal") and Secrétaire Général du Parquet de la Cour de Cassation ("Secretary Prosecutor General of the Cour de CassationCourt of Cassation (France)
The French Supreme Court of Judicature is France's court of last resort having jurisdiction over all matters triable in the judicial stream but only scope of review to determine a miscarriage of justice or certify a question of law based solely on points of law...
") in 1962.
Seconded to the French Department of Justice from 1965 to 1974, Arpaillange became adviser to the Minister and, on several occasions, Chief of Staff for the Minister of Justice and Director of Criminal Affairs and Pardons at the Chancellery. He was also a member of the Haut Conseil de l'Audiovisuel ("High Council for the Audiovisual Industry") in 1973.
Adviser to the Supreme Court from 1974, he was promoted to Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
at the Cour de Cassation in 1984. He became Keeper of the Seals
Keeper of the seals
The title Keeper of the Seals or equivalent is used in several contexts, denoting the person entitled to keep and authorize use of the Great Seal of a given country. The title may or may not be linked to a particular cabinet or ministerial office.- Canada :...
and Minister of Justice in Michel Rocard
Michel Rocard
Michel Rocard is a French politician, member of the Socialist Party . He served as Prime Minister under François Mitterrand from 1988 to 1991, during which he created the Revenu minimum d'insertion , a social minimum welfare program for indigents, and led the Matignon Accords regarding the status...
's first and second governments (12 May 1988 to 1 October 1990). He famously committed a verbal blunder in the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
.
He left the government in 1990 and now serves as a member of the Comité d'Honneur du Bicentenaire de la Cour des Comptes ("Bicentennial Committee of Honour of the Cour des Comptes
Cour des Comptes
The Court of Audit is a quasi-judicial body of the French government charged with conducting financial and legislative audits of most public institutions and some private institutions, including the central Government, national public corporations, social security agencies , and public services...
").
Decorations
- In 1991, Francois MitterrandFrançois MitterrandFrançois Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
made him Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour. - He is entitled to wear the Croix du combattant volontaire de la RésistanceCroix du combattant volontaire de la RésistanceThe Croix du combattant volontaire de la Résistance is a French decoration that recognizes, as its name implies, those who fought in one of the resistance groups, or have been deported or interned for acts of the Resistance, or have been killed or injured in acts of resistance during World War...
("Cross of Volunteer for the Resistance"). - Officer of the Palmes AcadémiquesPalmes académiquesThe Ordre des Palmes Académiques is an Order of Chivalry of France for academics and cultural and educational figures...
("Academic Palms").