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Ian William Cowan v. Trésor Public

European Union Court of Justice
Case C-186/97, 1989 E.C.R 195 (1989), Case 186/871989, E.C.J. EUR-Lex LEXIS 144, [1989] E.C.R. 195 (1989)

Written by Elliot Stern, JD

Facts

Ian William Cowan (plaintiff) was a British citizen visiting France. While in France, Cowan was assaulted. Under French law, victims of certain violent crimes were entitled to receive compensation from the government if the victims could not be otherwise compensated as victims of a crime. However, violent-crime victims who were not French citizens could only receive compensation under the law if the non-French victim held a French residence permit or if the member state in which the non-French citizen was a national had entered into a reciprocity agreement with France. Because neither of these conditions applied to Cowan, Cowan was denied compensation from the French government. Cowan sued, arguing that the French law violated European law.

Rule of Law

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Issue

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Holding and Reasoning (Per curiam)

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