infirmer la sentence

You will mostly encounter this phrase in professional, journalistic, or academic settings. You don't just 'infirm' a friend's opinion on which TikTok filter is best (though it would be a funny way to sound like a grumpy judge). You use it when talking about the Cour d’appel (Court of Appeal). The structure is usually: [Higher Authority] + infirme + [The Original Decision]. For example, La Cour d'appel a infirmé la sentence des premiers juges. You can also use it partially: infirmer partiellement la sentence, which means they changed some parts of the ruling but kept others. It’s like a teacher grading your essay and saying, 'The intro is fine, but I’m overturning your conclusion because your logic is non-existent.' Use it when you want to sound precise, authoritative, and perhaps a bit like you’ve spent too much time watching 'Lupin' on Netflix.

Imagine you are scrolling through a French news site like 'Le Monde'. You see a headline: 'Affaire Balkany : la cour d'appel pourrait infirmer la sentence.' This tells you right away that the previous jail time or fine might be canceled. Or maybe you're in a job interview for a legal assistant role in Paris, and they ask you what happens after a successful appeal. You'd say, 'La sentence peut être infirmée si les nouveaux éléments sont probants.' Even in the world of sports, if a player is suspended and their team appeals to a federation, the headlines might shout that the 'commission d'appel a infirmé la sentence', allowing the player back on the field. It’s the sound of a legal 'Get out of jail free' card (or at least a 'Let's try that again' card).

Reach for this phrase whenever you are discussing formal decisions that have been challenged. It’s perfect for law students, anyone following international news, or if you’re writing a report on a business dispute. If you’re arguing with a friend about a controversial court case, saying Ils ont infirmé la sentence makes you sound like a sophisticated observer who knows their stuff. It’s also useful in business contexts, especially in arbitration (which is where the word sentence is most technically accurate). If a company wins an appeal against a fine from a regulator, infirmer is your best friend. It’s the language of correction, precision, and high-level debate.

Do not use this for personal disagreements unless you are intentionally being a 'legal nerd' for a joke. If your partner says you forgot to do the dishes, responding with 'J'infirme ta sentence!' might get you a look of confusion or a very long silent treatment. It’s too heavy for daily chores. Also, don't confuse it with casser. In France, the Cour de Cassation (the highest court) 'casse' (breaks) a decision, while the Cour d'appel 'infirme' (weakens/reverses) it. It’s a subtle distinction, but use the wrong one around a French lawyer and they’ll start explaining the 1804 Civil Code to you for three hours. You've been warned.

The most embarrassing mistake is confusing infirmer with affirmer. They look almost the same but mean the exact opposite. Affirmer means to confirm or state strongly. If you say the judge 'affirmed' the sentence when they actually 'infirmed' it, you just told your friend someone is staying in prison when they were actually released. Yikes. Another mistake is using it for people. You can't infirmer a person; you only infirmer a jugement, a sentence, or an acte. Also, remember that sentence in French isn't always the 'punishment' (that's la peine). It's the 'decision'.

• ✗ Le juge a affirmé la sentence (meaning he reversed it) → ✓ Le juge a infirmé la sentence.
• ✗ J'ai infirmé mon frère → ✓ J'ai infirmé la décision de mon frère.

If you want to vary your vocabulary, you can use annuler la décision (to annul the decision), which is slightly more general. There’s also réformer le jugement, which means to modify it. If you want to sound really technical, casser l'arrêt is used for the very top court. For a more casual way to say something was overturned (like in a game or a small club), you might just say revenir sur une décision (to go back on a decision). But for that sweet, professional 'lawyer' sound, nothing beats infirmer.

You’ll often see infirmer en tout ou en partie. This is the legal way of saying 'We're throwing the whole thing out, or just some bits.' Another common one is infirmation du jugement, which is the noun form. You might see a news banner saying 'Infirmation totale !' which is basically the legal equivalent of a mic drop. In business, you might hear about infirmer un contrat, meaning to invalidate a specific legal agreement based on a flaw.

Is sentence the same as 'punishment'? Not exactly. In French, la sentence is the formal decision or ruling. The punishment is la peine. Can I use it for a referee's call? Technically, people use annuler for a goal, but using infirmer for a VAR decision would make you sound like the most educated fan in the stadium. Does it always mean the person is innocent? No, it just means that specific ruling was canceled. They might have a new trial or a different sentence later.