By Raphaël MORENON
26 March 2025
Time limits structure civil litigation. They impose a time frame on litigants and are often a formidable trap for the uninitiated. One day's delay can wipe out years of proceedings. Stoppage of proceedings Definition and conditions Stoppage is a procedural exception that extinguishes proceedings. It sanctions inaction by the parties for two years. According to article 386 of the Code of Civil Procedure, it «simply extinguishes the proceedings, without any of the acts of the proceedings having lapsed ever being able to be set up against or relied upon». The time limit begins to run as soon as the summons is delivered to the court registry. If the summons is not delivered within four months, it lapses (article 757 paragraph 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure). The lapse of time may be requested by the defendant as well as by the plaintiff, by way of action or exception. It must be raised before any other plea, in accordance with article 388 of the Code...
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