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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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701
Article 701 Civil Law · Des Dispositions entre Epoux, soit par Contrat de mariage, soit pendant le mariage
Succession Law
Except in the case of the subsequent birth of a child, donations between spouses during the marriage, although characterized as inter vivos, may always be...
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Except in the case of the subsequent birth of a child, donations between spouses during the marriage, although characterized as inter vivos, may always be revoked; and the wife, for the revocation of one she made, shall need neither her husband's authorization nor judicial authorization.

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702
Article 702 Civil Law · Des Dispositions entre Epoux, soit par Contrat de mariage, soit pendant le mariage
Succession Law
During the marriage, no mutual and reciprocal donation by a single act may be made between spouses, whether by inter vivos act or testament.
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During the marriage, no mutual and reciprocal donation by a single act may be made between spouses, whether by inter vivos act or testament.

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703
Article 703 Civil Law · Des Dispositions entre Epoux, soit par Contrat de mariage, soit pendant le mariage
Succession Law
In the case of a child from a first marriage, the spouse who remarries may dispose in favor of the new spouse only of the...
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In the case of a child from a first marriage, the spouse who remarries may dispose in favor of the new spouse only of the share of the least-taking legitimate child; and in no case may this share exceed one-quarter of the property.

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704
Article 704 Civil Law · Des Dispositions entre Epoux, soit par Contrat de mariage, soit pendant le mariage
Succession Law
Any donation made indirectly between spouses exceeding the permitted rate under the above provisions shall be of no effect and null, as shall any disguised...
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Any donation made indirectly between spouses exceeding the permitted rate under the above provisions shall be of no effect and null, as shall any disguised donation or one made through interposed persons.

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705
Article 705 Civil Law · Des Dispositions entre Epoux, soit par Contrat de mariage, soit pendant le mariage
Succession Law
Donations by one spouse in favor of the children or one of the children of the other spouse, born of a prior marriage, shall be...
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Donations by one spouse in favor of the children or one of the children of the other spouse, born of a prior marriage, shall be deemed made to interposed persons; as shall those made to relatives whom the law would designate the other spouse as heir at the date of the donation, even if the other spouse did not survive the donee relative.

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706
Article 706 Civil Law
Contract Law
A contract is an agreement by which one or more persons bind themselves toward one or more others to give, to do, or not to...
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A contract is an agreement by which one or more persons bind themselves toward one or more others to give, to do, or not to do something.

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707
Article 707 Civil Law
Contract Law
There are contracts by which the parties bind themselves reciprocally toward each other.
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There are contracts by which the parties bind themselves reciprocally toward each other.

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708
Article 708 Civil Law
Contract Law
There are others in which only one or more persons are bound toward others, without any engagement on the latter's part.
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There are others in which only one or more persons are bound toward others, without any engagement on the latter's part.

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709
Article 709 Civil Law
Contract Law
Finally, there are those by which each party engages to give or do something considered to be the equivalent of what is given or done...
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Finally, there are those by which each party engages to give or do something considered to be the equivalent of what is given or done for it. If the equivalent consists in the chance of gain or loss for each party, based on an uncertain event, this contract is aleatory.

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710
Article 710 Civil Law
Contract Law
If one party provides the other a purely gratuitous advantage, this contract is one of beneficence.
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If one party provides the other a purely gratuitous advantage, this contract is one of beneficence.

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711
Article 711 Civil Law
Contract Law
It is onerous when each party is subject to giving or doing something.
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It is onerous when each party is subject to giving or doing something.

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712
Article 712 Civil Law
Contract Law
Whether contracts have a specific denomination or not, they are subject to general rules, which are the object of this title. Those particular to certain...
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Whether contracts have a specific denomination or not, they are subject to general rules, which are the object of this title. Those particular to certain contracts are established hereafter under the titles relating to each; and those concerning commercial transactions are established by the Law on Commerce.

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713
Article 713 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
The essential conditions for the validity of conventions are: 1st. The consent of the parties who bind themselves; 2nd. The capacity to contract; 3rd. A...
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The essential conditions for the validity of conventions are: 1st. The consent of the parties who bind themselves; 2nd. The capacity to contract; 3rd. A certain object forming the subject of the engagement; 4th. A lawful cause in the obligation.

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714
Article 714 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
Consent given by error, extorted by violence, or obtained by fraud is not valid.
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Consent given by error, extorted by violence, or obtained by fraud is not valid.

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715
Article 715 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
Error is a cause of nullity when it concerns the very substance of the thing that is the object of the convention; it would not...
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Error is a cause of nullity when it concerns the very substance of the thing that is the object of the convention; it would not cause nullity if it concerned only the person with whom one intended to contract, unless the consideration of that person is the principal cause of the convention.

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716
Article 716 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
Violence against the contracting party is a cause of nullity, even if exercised by a third party; but the violence must be of a nature...
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Violence against the contracting party is a cause of nullity, even if exercised by a third party; but the violence must be of a nature to impress a reasonable person, or to inspire fear of exposing his person or fortune to a considerable and present harm. In this matter, regard is had to the age, sex, and condition of the persons.

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717
Article 717 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
If violence has been exercised upon the ascendants or descendants of the contracting party, or upon his or her spouse, it shall equally be a...
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If violence has been exercised upon the ascendants or descendants of the contracting party, or upon his or her spouse, it shall equally be a cause of nullity.

Mere reverential fear toward a father, mother, or other ascendant, without any violence having been exercised, is not sufficient to annul the contract.

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718
Article 718 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
One is no longer permitted to attack a contract on grounds of violence if the contract has been approved after the violence ceased, whether expressly,...
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One is no longer permitted to attack a contract on grounds of violence if the contract has been approved after the violence ceased, whether expressly, tacitly, or by allowing the time of restitution fixed by law to pass.

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719
Article 719 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
For fraud to be a cause of nullity, the schemes practiced by one party must be such that it is evident the other party would...
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For fraud to be a cause of nullity, the schemes practiced by one party must be such that it is evident the other party would not have contracted without them. Fraud is not presumed; it must be proven, as must error and violence.

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720
Article 720 Civil Law · Des Conditions essentielles pour la validité des Conventions
Contract Law
A convention contracted by error, violence, fraud, or bad faith is not null by operation of law; it merely gives rise to an action for...
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A convention contracted by error, violence, fraud, or bad faith is not null by operation of law; it merely gives rise to an action for nullity or rescission, in the cases and manner explained in Section VII, Chapter IV of this Title.

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