Contravention in French criminal law

In French criminal law, contravention is the least serious category of offenses (the other two categories of offenses being misdemeanors and felonies), with penalties typically amounting to less than or equal to 3,000 euros in fines. This type of offense, called "contraventional," is not limited to traffic violations (traffic code), nor to written notices given to the offender by law enforcement officers who witnessed the committed offense (fine stamp). They are classified into five classes of severity.

Contravention cases are adjudicated in the police tribunal. In cases of contraventions ranging from the 1st to the 4th class, a police commissioner or another official, known as an officer of the public prosecutor's office, acts as a substitute for the Republic in the police court. For contraventions of the 5th class, the public prosecutor from the court of first instance in the jurisdiction where the contravention took place must be present to fulfill their role as the defender of public order and society.