Enacted parts

ARTICLE 132-1
Where statutes or regulations sanction an offence, the rules governing the penalties that may be imposed are those
set out in the present Chapter except where the law otherwise provides.
SECTION I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Articles 132-2 to 132-23
Subsection 1
Sentences applicable to concurrent offences
Articles 132-2 to 132-7
ARTICLE 132-2
There is a concurrence of offences where an offence is committed by a person before having been finally convicted
for another offence.
ARTICLE 132-3
Where, in the course of the same proceedings, the accused person is found guilty of several concurrent offences,
each of the penalties applicable may be imposed. Nevertheless, where several penalties of a similar nature are incurred,
only one such penalty may be imposed within the limit of the highest legal maximum.
Each penalty imposed is deemed to be common to the concurrent offences within the limit of the legal maximum
applicable to each one of them.
ARTICLE 132-4
Where, in the course of separate proceedings, the person prosecuted is convicted of several concurrent offences,
the penalties imposed operate cumulatively, up to the limit of the highest legal maximum. Nevertheless, the partial or
total concurrent running of sentences of a similar nature may be ordered either by the last court called upon to
determine the matter, or pursuant to the conditions set out under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
ARTICLE 132-5
(Act no. 1992-1336 of 16 December 1992 Articles 347 and 373 Official Journal of 23 December into force 1 March 1994)
For the purposes of articles 132-3 and 132-4, all custodial sentences are of a similar nature and all custodial
sentences run concurrently within a life sentence.
Recidivism is taken into account, where relevant.
Updated 12/10/2005 - Page 14/132

---

PENAL CODE
Where criminal imprisonment for life is applicable to one or more of the concurrent offences but is not imposed, the
legal maximum is fixed at thirty years' criminal imprisonment.
The legal maximum amount and length of day-fines and of community service work is determined by articles 131-5
and 131-8 respectively.
The benefit of partial or total suspension applied to one of the penalties imposed for concurrent offences does not
prevent the enforcement of sentences of a similar nature which are not suspended.