The trial of former French President Jacques Chirac for misuse of public funds began today, but proceedings were promptly delayed by an appeal from a co-defendant that could see the trial postponed for months.
78-year-old Mr Chirac was excused from attending the first day of the trial, which marks the first time since 1945 that a former French head of state has faced criminal charges.
Presiding judge Dominique Pauthe adjourned the first day of hearings while he considers the constitutional request.
A lawyer representing one of Chirac's co-defendants had asked the judge to refer to France's constitutional court for a ruling on whether the statute of limitations had expired on some of the charges in the case.
Mr Pauthe said the hearings would resume tomorrow at 1.30pm local time (12.30 Irish time) when he would rule on the request.
Mr Chirac, still one of France's most popular politicians, is accused of embezzling public money to fund his political party during his time as mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995, when he became president.
The hearing came after 11 years of legal wrangling over allegations that Mr Chirac used city funds to pay 28 phantom employees for political ends.
Until he left the presidency in 2007, Chirac enjoyed immunity from prosecution.
If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison and €150,000 in fines, but a suspended sentence is thought more likely.
The case is going ahead even though the plaintiff, the city of Paris, withdrew its complaint after Chirac agreed to pay €500,000 in compensation and France's ruling UMP party said it would pay a further €1.7m on his behalf.
The UMP had already made a related compensation payment of €889,000 in 2005, which brings the total settlement payment for phantom jobs to more than €3m.
