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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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518
Article 518 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Arbitrators whose operations have begun may not withdraw, and likewise may not be recused, unless the cause arose after the compromise.
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Arbitrators whose operations have begun may not withdraw, and likewise may not be recused, unless the cause arose after the compromise.

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519
Article 519 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Arbitrators may not take cognizance of incidents involving claims of forgery, whether civil or criminal; they must in such case refer the parties to the...
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Arbitrators may not take cognizance of incidents involving claims of forgery, whether civil or criminal; they must in such case refer the parties to the courts, and the deadlines shall be suspended, to resume running only from the day of the judgment on the incident.

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520
Article 520 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Arbitrators shall judge on the documents and defenses of the parties, which must be produced at least fifteen days before the expiration of the compromise...
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Arbitrators shall judge on the documents and defenses of the parties, which must be produced at least fifteen days before the expiration of the compromise deadline. This judgment is signed by the arbitrators. In case of a split opinion, and the minority refuses to sign, it shall be signed only by the other arbitrators, noting the refusal, and it shall have the same effect as if all had signed. In no case may an arbitral judgment be subject to opposition.

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521
Article 521 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Within three days of the judgment date, the original shall be deposited at the seneschal court clerk's office by one of the arbitrators, unless the...
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Within three days of the judgment date, the original shall be deposited at the seneschal court clerk's office by one of the arbitrators, unless the arbitrators' decision was rendered on appeal; in that case, the judgment is deposited at the court of appeal clerk's office.

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522
Article 522 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
No arbitral judgment may be enforced, even preparatory ones, without the order of the seneschal or president of the court of appeal, which he shall...
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No arbitral judgment may be enforced, even preparatory ones, without the order of the seneschal or president of the court of appeal, which he shall write at the bottom or in the margin of the original, without communication to the public prosecutor; this order shall be issued following the issuance of the decision. Enforcement of the judgment shall belong to the court that issued the order.

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523
Article 523 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
An arbitral judgment may in no case prejudice or be invoked against third parties.
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An arbitral judgment may in no case prejudice or be invoked against third parties.

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524
Article 524 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
In all matters within the jurisdiction of the parish lieutenant judges, whether at first or last resort, the appeal of an arbitral judgment shall be...
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In all matters within the jurisdiction of the parish lieutenant judges, whether at first or last resort, the appeal of an arbitral judgment shall be brought before the seneschal courts; and in matters within the jurisdiction of the seneschal courts, the appeal shall go to the superior councils or sovereign court.

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525
Article 525 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
For the provisional enforcement of an arbitral judgment, the rules prescribed for court judgments shall be followed.
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For the provisional enforcement of an arbitral judgment, the rules prescribed for court judgments shall be followed.

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526
Article 526 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
The fine in case of appeal of an arbitral judgment shall be the same as for a judgment of an ordinary court.
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The fine in case of appeal of an arbitral judgment shall be the same as for a judgment of an ordinary court.

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527
Article 527 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Within the deadlines, forms, and cases designated above for ordinary judgments, a civil petition may be brought against an arbitral judgment; it shall be presented...
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Within the deadlines, forms, and cases designated above for ordinary judgments, a civil petition may be brought against an arbitral judgment; it shall be presented before the court that should have heard the appeal. However, the following may not be raised as grounds: 1. Non-observance of ordinary court forms; 2. If the arbitrators ruled on something not requested, subject to seeking nullity instead.

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528
Article 528 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
In all the following cases, the parties, instead of proceeding by appeal or civil petition, may do so by opposition to the enforcement order, before...
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In all the following cases, the parties, instead of proceeding by appeal or civil petition, may do so by opposition to the enforcement order, before the court that issued it, seeking nullity of the act styled as an arbitral judgment: 1. If the judgment was rendered without a compromise or outside its terms; 2. If rendered on a null or expired compromise; 3. If rendered by only some arbitrators without authorization to judge in the others' absence; 4. If it ruled on matters not requested.

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529
Article 529 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Arbitrages
Civil Procedure
Cassation may only be sought against judgments rendered by the courts, whether on civil petition or on appeal of an arbitral judgment.
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Cassation may only be sought against judgments rendered by the courts, whether on civil petition or on appeal of an arbitral judgment.

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530
Article 530 Law on Civil Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Civil Procedure
The fines, forfeitures, and nullities pronounced in this law are not merely cautionary; on the contrary, the penalty must be rigorously applied.
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The fines, forfeitures, and nullities pronounced in this law are not merely cautionary; on the contrary, the penalty must be rigorously applied.

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531
Article 531 Law on Civil Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Civil Procedure
If the nullity of a writ or procedural act is not formally pronounced by the law, it may not be declared null; however, the ministerial...
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If the nullity of a writ or procedural act is not formally pronounced by the law, it may not be declared null; however, the ministerial officer, whether for omissions or violations, may be condemned to a fine of two to sixteen gourdes, paid to the excise treasury, plus the costs of the null or wasted procedures, which shall be borne by said officers, who may even be suspended from their functions.

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532
Article 532 Law on Civil Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Civil Procedure
In the general period fixed for summonses, citations, and other acts served in person or at domicile, neither the day of service nor the day...
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In the general period fixed for summonses, citations, and other acts served in person or at domicile, neither the day of service nor the day of expiration shall ever be counted; for every five leagues of distance, the period shall be increased by one day, and if there is travel and return, the increase shall be doubled.

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533
Article 533 Law on Civil Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Civil Procedure
If the parties or locations are too remote, and the matter involves appointing experts, receiving a bond or oath, conducting an inquiry or examination on...
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If the parties or locations are too remote, and the matter involves appointing experts, receiving a bond or oath, conducting an inquiry or examination on facts and articles, or generally performing an operation under a judgment, the judges may commission a seneschal court, a neighboring court, or a parish lieutenant judge, as circumstances require, and authorize the neighboring court to appoint either one of its members or a parish lieutenant judge to carry out the ordered operations.

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534
Article 534 Law on Civil Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Civil Procedure
From October 1 to March 31, no service or execution may be made before six o'clock in the morning or after six o'clock in the...
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From October 1 to March 31, no service or execution may be made before six o'clock in the morning or after six o'clock in the evening; and from April 1 to September 30, they may not be made before five o'clock in the morning or after seven o'clock in the evening, nor on legal holidays, without a judge's permission, which shall only be granted in cases of imminent danger.

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535
Article 535 Law on Civil Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Civil Procedure
Attorneys, without needing new powers of attorney, shall serve on the execution of final judgments they have obtained, if it takes place within the year...
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Attorneys, without needing new powers of attorney, shall serve on the execution of final judgments they have obtained, if it takes place within the year of their obtaining.

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536
Article 536 Law on Civil Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Civil Procedure
It shall always be at the seat of the seneschal court that the judge, assisted by the clerk, shall perform all acts and reports of...
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It shall always be at the seat of the seneschal court that the judge, assisted by the clerk, shall perform all acts and reports of his office, except in urgent cases where he may respond at his residence to petitions presented to him, all subject however to the provisions of the chapter on Summary Proceedings.

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1
Article 1 Commercial Law · Des Commerçans
Commercial Law
All recognized merchants or traders shall be deemed of age for all acts relating to commerce, without being able to allege minority.
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All recognized merchants or traders shall be deemed of age for all acts relating to commerce, without being able to allege minority.