Parlement of Paris

The Parlement of Paris was the highest court of justice in France during the Ancien Régime, functioning from the 13th century until the French Revolution. It handled legal matters, including criminal cases and civil disputes, and had the power to register royal edicts, meaning it could influence laws. Composed of magistrates known as "noblesse de robe," it often clashed with the monarchy, particularly over issues of taxation and governance. The Parlement represented the interests of the aristocracy and the judiciary, playing a significant role in the political landscape of pre-revolutionary France. Its influence diminished after the Revolution.