FHS Bridge's Council of Glossary glossary gives the anodyne entry of 'Regional Criminal Court' for dealing with 'misdemeanours' (AE for non-serious, previously non-arrestable offences in the UK) vs. felonies (AE for serious, previously called arrestable offences in the UK).

The TGI as a High Court equivalent and the nature of the trafficking offence also suggest it is NOT the mags' first-level, but at least Crown Court level on indictment.

Also, it is the Tribunal d'assises cf. formerly Assizes in E&W - which - according to an FR/FR law dictionary: see the 2nd example sentence - is first instance.

It should, crucially, have been mentioned that this is on an Ordonnance de renvoi: a committal for trial which would go UP to the Crown Court or right up to the Old Bailey on indictment. (I again assume other contributors and commentators are familiar with the committal procedure).

The question here is whether the French equivalent of committal for trial stays at Magistrates' (Scots: Sheriff) Court level.

To avoid having to resolve this conundrum, Criminal Division could be used if TGI is translated as High Court. Also see the first example sentence: the Court is a chamber of the TGI whose header is used in the case in point.


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Note added at 22 hrs (2010-01-07 11:59:38 GMT)
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That's OK - with me at least, maybe not with my critics and detractors! Summons to 'enter an appearance' might be more civil than criminal-speak. Also, it is very discerning of you if you are querying whether a summons is used for the Mags'/Crown Court only. In E&W, it can be used for the Criminal Appeal Div. of the High Court.