Question juridique clé
Whether the accused was entitled to compensation for defense costs under Art. 429(1)(a) CCP
Solution extraite
Yes. Given the early accusations, the course of the investigation, and the procedural burden, retaining counsel was objectively appropriate.
Motifs extraits
The court applied the newer Federal Supreme Court approach: entitlement depends on whether counsel was reasonably necessary in light of the charge, factual and legal complexity, duration, and personal/professional impact. Here the defense was already needed during the pre-trial stage, so the case was not a mere bagatelle for compensation purposes.