Skip to content
🇭🇹   BETA  ·  10,079 entries published  ·  89,921 entries away from the 100k milestone.       🇭🇹   BETA  ·  10,079 entries published  ·  89,921 entries away from the 100k milestone.       
You are offline — some content may not be available

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

×
498
Article 498 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Partages et Licitations
Civil Procedure
In every partition or auction sale where the interested parties include minors or persons not enjoying their civil rights, the above formalities shall be strictly...
Read more ▾

In every partition or auction sale where the interested parties include minors or persons not enjoying their civil rights, the above formalities shall be strictly followed.

×
499
Article 499 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
The heir who, before assuming a status, has complied with the Civil Law requirements, may, upon petition to the seneschal of the place of succession,...
Read more ▾

The heir who, before assuming a status, has complied with the Civil Law requirements, may, upon petition to the seneschal of the place of succession, obtain permission to sell the movable effects belonging to it. This sale is conducted by a notary or other public officer, after the notices and publications prescribed for movable sales.

×
500
Article 500 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
If the beneficiary heir deems it necessary to sell immovable property of the succession, he shall present his petition to the seneschal with a description...
Read more ▾

If the beneficiary heir deems it necessary to sell immovable property of the succession, he shall present his petition to the seneschal with a description of the property to be sold; it shall be communicated to the king's prosecutor, and upon his conclusions, the seneschal shall order the property inspected, visited, and valued by one or three court-appointed experts, whose report is approved upon petition; the judgment ordering the sale is rendered upon the prosecutor's conclusions. The sale shall proceed according to the Partitions chapter.

×
501
Article 501 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
If immovable property has been sold by the beneficiary heir without complying with the requirements of this chapter, he shall be deemed an unconditional heir.
Read more ▾

If immovable property has been sold by the beneficiary heir without complying with the requirements of this chapter, he shall be deemed an unconditional heir.

×
502
Article 502 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
For the sale of movables and annuities, the prescribed procedures for such sales shall be followed, under penalty of the beneficiary heir being deemed an...
Read more ▾

For the sale of movables and annuities, the prescribed procedures for such sales shall be followed, under penalty of the beneficiary heir being deemed an unconditional heir.

×
503
Article 503 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
Once the movables are sold, the proceeds are distributed among the opposing creditors, following the formalities prescribed in the Distribution by Contribution chapter. And the...
Read more ▾

Once the movables are sold, the proceeds are distributed among the opposing creditors, following the formalities prescribed in the Distribution by Contribution chapter. And the price of immovable property is distributed according to the order of privileges and mortgages.

×
504
Article 504 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
To compel the beneficiary heir to post bond, the creditor or other interested party must have an extrajudicial summons served on him personally or at...
Read more ▾

To compel the beneficiary heir to post bond, the creditor or other interested party must have an extrajudicial summons served on him personally or at his domicile.

×
505
Article 505 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
The beneficiary heir must present the bond at the clerk's office of the seneschal court of the succession, within three days of the summons, plus...
Read more ▾

The beneficiary heir must present the bond at the clerk's office of the seneschal court of the succession, within three days of the summons, plus one day per five leagues of distance between the heir's domicile and the court's seat; this bond is received according to the forms prescribed for bond receipts, and if difficulties arise, the most senior attorney shall represent the demanding creditors.

×
506
Article 506 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
The account that the beneficiary heir must render shall be in the forms prescribed in the chapter on Rendering of Accounts.
Read more ▾

The account that the beneficiary heir must render shall be in the forms prescribed in the chapter on Rendering of Accounts.

×
507
Article 507 Law on Civil Procedure · Du Bénéfice d'inventaire
Civil Procedure
If the beneficiary heir has claims to bring against the succession, they shall be brought against the other heirs, or against the curator of the...
Read more ▾

If the beneficiary heir has claims to bring against the succession, they shall be brought against the other heirs, or against the curator of the benefit of inventory, if there are no heirs, or if the action is brought by all heirs.

×
508
Article 508 Law on Civil Procedure · De la Renonciation à la Communauté et à la Succession
Civil Procedure
All renunciations of community or succession shall be made at the clerk's office of the seneschal court in whose district the dissolution of the community...
Read more ▾

All renunciations of community or succession shall be made at the clerk's office of the seneschal court in whose district the dissolution of the community or the opening of the succession occurred, on the register kept for that purpose, and in compliance with the Civil Law.

×
509
Article 509 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
All persons who have the free disposition of their rights may agree to settle their disputes by a compromise.
Read more ▾

All persons who have the free disposition of their rights may agree to settle their disputes by a compromise.

×
510
Article 510 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
No compromise may be made for a question of status, a separation between husband and wife, a gift or legacy of maintenance, housing, and clothing,...
Read more ▾

No compromise may be made for a question of status, a separation between husband and wife, a gift or legacy of maintenance, housing, and clothing, nor for disputes that must be communicated to the public prosecutor.

×
511
Article 511 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
The compromise (which must be made by notarial act or under private signature) shall designate the objects in dispute and the names of the arbitrators,...
Read more ▾

The compromise (which must be made by notarial act or under private signature) shall designate the objects in dispute and the names of the arbitrators, who must be in odd number; under penalty of nullity.

×
512
Article 512 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Every compromise shall last only three months if no duration has been fixed.
Read more ▾

Every compromise shall last only three months if no duration has been fixed.

×
513
Article 513 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
The procedure, deadlines, and forms established for the courts shall be followed by the parties and arbitrators, unless they have agreed otherwise. Arbitrators may only...
Read more ▾

The procedure, deadlines, and forms established for the courts shall be followed by the parties and arbitrators, unless they have agreed otherwise. Arbitrators may only be revoked by the unanimous consent of the parties.

×
514
Article 514 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Until the moment of the arbitral judgment, the parties may renounce appeal; the judgment shall be final if rendered on appeal or on civil petition.
Read more ▾

Until the moment of the arbitral judgment, the parties may renounce appeal; the judgment shall be final if rendered on appeal or on civil petition.

×
515
Article 515 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Arbitrators must collectively perform all investigatory acts and reports, unless authorized by the compromise to delegate to one of them.
Read more ▾

Arbitrators must collectively perform all investigatory acts and reports, unless authorized by the compromise to delegate to one of them.

×
516
Article 516 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
The compromise ends: 1. By the death, refusal, withdrawal, or impediment of one of the arbitrators, unless there is an express clause that the replacement...
Read more ▾

The compromise ends: 1. By the death, refusal, withdrawal, or impediment of one of the arbitrators, unless there is an express clause that the replacement shall be at the choice of the parties or the remaining arbitrators; 2. By the expiration of the fixed deadline, or of three months if none was set.

×
517
Article 517 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
If all heirs of one of the parties to the compromise are of legal age, his death shall not end the compromise but shall only...
Read more ▾

If all heirs of one of the parties to the compromise are of legal age, his death shall not end the compromise but shall only suspend the proceedings and judgment, during the time allowed for inventory and deliberation.