What is Additional Speech?

It encompasses all discourse produced by a court, alongside a judicial decision, aimed at clarifying, commenting on, or contextualizing it. These discourses play a crucial role in understanding the legal issues and the reasoning of judges.

No. 1_ Proximity to Decisions

Understanding the concept of additional speech means first and foremost grasping its relationship, or rather its degree of proximity, to one or more rendered judicial decisions. This is its primary characteristic and the reason why it is crucial for anyone interested in understanding a decision. This includes explanatory notes from the Court of Cassation, which decode judgments particularly for legal professionals, or official commentaries from the Constitutional Council, which explain the stakes of constitutional decisions.

No. 2_ Official Authors: The Additional Speech Services

The concept of additional speech is also characterized by a second identifying element: the author of the discourse. Indeed, these discourses are produced by the internal services of the high courts, here referred to as additional speech services. These services are essential in crafting this method of communicating about decisions and thus produce keys to the institution's public affairs. In an information society where institutional silence is no longer acceptable, it is by investing in this type of service that justice exists and interacts with citizens.

No. 3_ The Digital Presence of Jurisdictions: An Unsuspected Judicial Diplomacy

The third identifying element is their location: on the official websites and socials of the jurisdictions. This element, which has influenced my entire thesis, highlights the specificity of these discourses. They constitute, in fact, the heart of the jurisdictions' digital presence through their recurrence and attractiveness. The digital attention gained by the jurisdictions consolidates their adaptation in what is called the digital age, but even more so, the information society. Through their strategic use of digital tools, the high courts, to varying degrees, exercise what I have called digital judicial diplomacy to control the perception of justice while controlling the reception of their decisions.

A Valuable Asset Not to Be Overlooked...

Consequently, understanding and mastering additional speech becomes a valuable asset for anyone affected by French law, whether for legal monitoring, research, or legal prediction. In a world where digital communication reigns, these discourses have become an indispensable tool for jurisdictions to maintain ties with citizens and ensure the transparency of justice.