Arrest

An arrest is the formal term for a judicial decision rendered by a court of appeal on appeal or by the Supreme Court in cassation. Unlike a judgment of the district court in first instance, an arrest typically involves a reassessment of the facts or points of law and contributes to the development of case law.

Arrests are significant because they may establish precedents that lower courts and practitioners take into account in applying the law. They promote consistency in the case law and frequently provide authoritative interpretations of legislation.

In practice, arrests are published in legal databases and are relied upon by lawyers when advising clients on the prospects of success in appeal or cassation proceedings.