La justice pénale et les femmes, 1792 - 1811

The French Revolution's criminal courts required active participation from ordinary citizens, including women, albeit in roles such as witnesses, plaintiffs, and defendants, as they were barred from positions of power like magistrates or jury members, which were reserved for men. However, female defendants saw a higher acquittal rate, possibly due to prevailing stereotypes of women being more emotional and less capable of independent action, which might have played to their advantage. Nonetheless, the 1791 law allowed misdemeanor courts to address cases of sexual impropriety, enabling the punishment of women perceived as challenges to patriarchal authority.