Evolution of the spiritsRadical change of scenery

Drop his stick of Marshal to devote himself to a cause that you heart. This is what comes to Cecile Petit, the new inter-ministerial delegate to road safety. Two months earlier, the magistrate of sixty years had indeed just be elevated to the function of First Advocate General at the Court of cassation. A prestigious rank in the judiciary French, just below that of Attorney General. But the proposal of the Minister of transport and former keeper of the seals Dominique Perben could only interest those who for so long was judge at Pontoise: "last year, road accidents have made orphan 3.200", regrets.

Cécile Petit committed in the way of the protection of the child as early as 1973, when she was asked to leave the tribunal de grande instance of Senlis where she was investigating judge. This first experience did not gave him the best of memories: "I felt crushed by the weight of my responsibility", she says. An admission that takes some relief at the time of the Outreau case. Member of the Higher Council of the judiciary from May 2002 to May 2006, Cecile Petit is surprised not that such a disaster could occur, but that it does not occurred earlier.

Back in 1973. It is with relief that it trades his cap of Almighty magistrate against that of judge of the children. This function is sometimes watched high by some judges, who want to see as a job of "social superassistante". But the young mother the find to the contrary particularly "engaging", as he spent fourteen years of his professional life. Until his appointment in 1987 as Counsellor to the Court of appeal of Versailles.

Evolution of the spirits

Radical change of scenery. finish the work as a team, contact with the field, records that following several years. Cécile Petit faces all sorts of litigation with his assignments in one or other of the eighteen Chambers of the Court, before entrusting the Presidency of one of them. "This intellectual gymnastics is very important for a magistrate because he must constantly adapt to the evolution of society," she says. Evolution that it will be led from 1998 to decipher from the dock of the clock, the seat of the Court of cassation. It is indeed as a magistrate from the prosecution, nor headquarters, Cecile Petit joined eight years ago the highest French jurisdiction. General Counsel to the first Civil Chamber, its role was to assist judges in understanding the impact of their decisions on society.

Between the Court of appeal of Versailles and the Court of cassation, Cecile Petit made a hook by the Chancellery, where Jacques Toubon called him in 1995 as Director of the judicial Protection of youth. Exhilarating parenthesis, in which the former judge of the children of Pontoise help including the Minister to put in place reinforced educational centres. "We had the worst difficulties to understand some people that our goal was the integration of youth." But spirits were eventually evolve. As for road safety.