The People

Public

Whether the affair is civil or criminal, the hearings are always public, i.e. anyone can go into the courtroom and attend the trial.
This is the principle of publicité des débats (public hearings).
However, the presiding judge of a jurisdiction can order that the hearing will be held huis clos (in camera), so forbidding the public to enter. The aim of this decision is to preserve privacy. The decision is always announced in a public hearing.