The face of France's far-right, Marine Le Pen, was due back in court on Tuesday bracing for a verdict that will determine if she can run in next year's presidential elections.
Le Pen, 57, was sentenced to a five-year ban from public office last year by a lower court, as well as two years in prison over a fake jobs scam when she was a member of the European Parliament.
The National Rally (RN) leader appealed that verdict, and it is the outcome of that appeal that will be decided today at 1:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT).
The appeals court could uphold the earlier ruling, quash it, or reduce Le Pen's sentence to a two-year ban and house arrest.
She told a party rally over the weekend that she was "not afraid" of the coming verdict.
