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Code Henry

The first comprehensive legal code of the Kingdom of Haiti, promulgated by King Henry Christophe on February 20, 1812 — a sovereign act of juridical self-determination just eight years after the world's only successful slave revolution produced an independent nation. This digital edition presents the complete Code in 3,004 articles spanning 8 laws and 67 titres — from the Loi Civile's 1,535 articles on personhood, marriage, property, and succession, to the Loi sur la Procédure Criminelle's 421 articles on investigation, confrontation, and royal clemency. Every article has been hand-extracted from 19th-century OCR, corrected, translated into English, and annotated with plain-language life lessons and scholarly notes. Browse in French, English, or Kreyòl Ayisyen. 3,004 articles · 8 laws · 3 languages · 213 years restored

3,004 articles in the Code Henry

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11
Article 11 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
In the countryside, the lieutenant judges established in the towns and parishes are judges of simple police within the extent of the parish, and rule...
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In the countryside, the lieutenant judges established in the towns and parishes are judges of simple police within the extent of the parish, and rule without appeal on all police facts and contraventions carrying only a fine of eight gourdes or less, or detention of eight days at most, and subject to appeal on all those carrying a higher fine or longer detention.

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12
Article 12 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
In towns where there are seneschal courts, the seneschal or the lieutenant hears simple police matters, and without appeal, all facts or contraventions committed within...
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In towns where there are seneschal courts, the seneschal or the lieutenant hears simple police matters, and without appeal, all facts or contraventions committed within the parish and suburb of the seneschal court's seat.

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13
Article 13 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
In correctional matters, the seneschal courts shall hear all offenses committed within their respective jurisdictions, and rule without appeal on all those carrying only a...
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In correctional matters, the seneschal courts shall hear all offenses committed within their respective jurisdictions, and rule without appeal on all those carrying only a fine of one hundred gourdes at most, or detention of one to six months.

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Article 14 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
In criminal matters, the seneschal courts shall be seized, each within the extent of its jurisdiction, of crimes committed therein, even those carrying the death...
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In criminal matters, the seneschal courts shall be seized, each within the extent of its jurisdiction, of crimes committed therein, even those carrying the death penalty; and their judgments, in this matter, shall always be rendered subject to appeal.

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Article 15 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
Appeals of judgments rendered in simple police matters by parish lieutenant judges shall be brought to the seneschal court from which the judges who rendered...
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Appeals of judgments rendered in simple police matters by parish lieutenant judges shall be brought to the seneschal court from which the judges who rendered them report.

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Article 16 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
Appeals of correctional and criminal judgments rendered by the seneschal courts of the Northern Province shall be brought to the sovereign court of Cap Henry;...
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Appeals of correctional and criminal judgments rendered by the seneschal courts of the Northern Province shall be brought to the sovereign court of Cap Henry; those rendered by the seneschal courts of the Western Province shall be brought to the superior council of Port-au-Prince; and those of the Southern Province to the superior council of Les Cayes.

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Article 17 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
The right to appeal belongs to: 1. The accused party; 2. The civil party, with regard to its civil interests only; 3. The public party,...
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The right to appeal belongs to: 1. The accused party; 2. The civil party, with regard to its civil interests only; 3. The public party, for the application of the penalty.

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Article 18 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
The parish lieutenant judges and the king's prosecutors at the seneschal courts shall exercise, under the supervision of the king's attorney general, the functions attributed...
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The parish lieutenant judges and the king's prosecutors at the seneschal courts shall exercise, under the supervision of the king's attorney general, the functions attributed to the public ministry.

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Article 19 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
Police facts or contraventions shall be prosecuted at the request of the public ministry, or of the complaining party, with the public party joined.
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Police facts or contraventions shall be prosecuted at the request of the public ministry, or of the complaining party, with the public party joined.

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Article 20 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
The judge shall receive the complaint; it shall be inscribed by the clerk on a register designated for that purpose. The complaining party shall sign...
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The judge shall receive the complaint; it shall be inscribed by the clerk on a register designated for that purpose. The complaining party shall sign it, if able; otherwise, note shall be made thereof.

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21
Article 21 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
At the bottom of the complaint, the judge shall render an order requiring the accused to appear at his hearing, on a fixed day and...
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At the bottom of the complaint, the judge shall render an order requiring the accused to appear at his hearing, on a fixed day and hour, to respond to the complaint; and to bring his witnesses, if he can produce any. The judge shall notify the complainant to also attend with any witnesses.

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22
Article 22 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
The clerk shall immediately prepare a copy of both the complaint and the judge's order at the bottom, and deliver it to the bailiff, for...
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The clerk shall immediately prepare a copy of both the complaint and the judge's order at the bottom, and deliver it to the bailiff, for the purpose of notifying the accused in person, and leaving it with the notification.

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Article 23 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
If the accused is a farm worker on a plantation, the bailiff shall address himself to the owner, tenant, or manager; for the purpose of...
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If the accused is a farm worker on a plantation, the bailiff shall address himself to the owner, tenant, or manager; for the purpose of having the accused summoned, and notifying him of the copy.

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Article 24 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
If the accused is absent from the plantation, the bailiff shall notify and leave the copy with the owner, tenant, or manager to whom he...
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If the accused is absent from the plantation, the bailiff shall notify and leave the copy with the owner, tenant, or manager to whom he spoke; and the latter shall be required, upon the accused's return, to order him to comply with justice within the deadline set by the judge's order.

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25
Article 25 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
The period may not be less than twenty-four hours if the accused resides within three leagues, and forty-eight hours if beyond three leagues, under penalty...
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The period may not be less than twenty-four hours if the accused resides within three leagues, and forty-eight hours if beyond three leagues, under penalty of nullity of both the appearance order and any default judgment. However, in urgent cases, the judge may shorten the deadlines and order the parties to appear on the same day at the indicated hour.

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Article 26 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
If the accused is domiciled in another parish, the deadlines shall be extended by one day per five leagues; in that case, the police judge...
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If the accused is domiciled in another parish, the deadlines shall be extended by one day per five leagues; in that case, the police judge seized of the contravention shall send to the police judge of the accused's domicile, a copy of both the complaint and the order; and Articles 22, 23, and 24 above shall be observed for the remainder.

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Article 27 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
In towns or boroughs, the parties may appear voluntarily before the police judge, or upon a simple notice from him, whether verbal or written, without...
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In towns or boroughs, the parties may appear voluntarily before the police judge, or upon a simple notice from him, whether verbal or written, without need for an appearance order.

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Article 28 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
If it concerns a claim for reparation of damage caused by a contravention, the police judge, before the day fixed for the hearing, may, at...
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If it concerns a claim for reparation of damage caused by a contravention, the police judge, before the day fixed for the hearing, may, at the request of the public party, the civil party, or even ex officio, verify or have verified the damage, have it assessed, and draw up an official report; in short, do and order all acts requiring urgency.

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Article 29 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
The party who does not appear on the day and hour indicated by the police judge's order shall be condemned by default.
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The party who does not appear on the day and hour indicated by the police judge's order shall be condemned by default.

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Article 30 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la forme de procéder en matière de simple police
Criminal Procedure
The party condemned by default may, at the following hearing, appear and declare opposition to the execution of the default judgment, and request that it...
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The party condemned by default may, at the following hearing, appear and declare opposition to the execution of the default judgment, and request that it be recorded; later, the party shall be inadmissible to oppose.