 Unlike for trials before the police tribunals and tribunals of first instance, no-one may be prosecuted before a court of assizes without a prior indictment (, , ) by the chamber of indictment of the court of appeal.This indictment can be obtained after a judicial investigation conducted by an investigative judge of the tribunal of first instance.Such judicial investigations are overseen by the council chamber, which is chaired by another judge of the tribunal of first instance.