By Raphaël MORENON
11 April 2025
We have seen in previous articles that taking legal action is not simply a question of being right, but requires that specific conditions be met for the claim to be deemed admissible. One of the fundamental conditions is that of a direct and personal interest: in principle, only the person directly concerned by a dispute can take a case to court. This is the application of the well-known adage "No one pleads by himself". But this rule, however logical, raises complex practical issues. What happens when a loss affects not an isolated individual, but the interests of a company, an association, a trade union, or even a large group of people such as consumers or local residents? How do you defend the interests of a legal entity or a community? Is the isolated individual always the only one who can act? This article explores the basic rule against acting on behalf of others and, above all, the many ways in which it can be applied.
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