Les usages sociaux de la justice administrative

• Main Authors: Alexis Spire, Katia Weidenfeld
• Format: Article
• Language: fra
• Published: ENS Éditions 2009-11-01
• Series: Tracés
• Subjects: administrative justice; investigation; law intermediaries; litigations; mission Droit et justice
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/traces/4358

The number of disputes brought to administrative tribunals has increased steadily : 20 000 cases in the early 1970s, 160 000 in 2004, 170 000 in 2007… But saying that society has become more dependant on justice (a process called “judiciarisation”) does not solely account for the soaring number of cases in administrative courts. A sociological enquiry led in several courts, focusing on three themes (fiscal, foreigners’ and housing law), brings to light the essential role played by legal “go-betweens” such as lawyers and associations, whose level of presence may vary a lot depending on the fields. The study highlights the decisive role played by administrative practices and the uses of justice by administrative agents. Going to court does not only appear as an external constraint but as an ordinary parameter regulating bureaucratic organization.