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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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223
Article 223 Commercial Law · Des Banqueroutes
Commercial Law
Those who have aided fraud in a bankruptcy shall be required to return all objects they have removed, which shall be appraised at the highest...
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Those who have aided fraud in a bankruptcy shall be required to return all objects they have removed, which shall be appraised at the highest price; they shall pay double their value and shall further be condemned to two thousand gourdes in fines, to be paid to the excise treasury, and shall be criminally prosecuted.

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224
Article 224 Commercial Law · Des Banqueroutes
Commercial Law
The same judgment by which the accomplices of fraudulent bankrupts are condemned shall order the restitution to the creditors' estate of all property, rights, and...
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The same judgment by which the accomplices of fraudulent bankrupts are condemned shall order the restitution to the creditors' estate of all property, rights, and actions fraudulently removed, and payment of compensation as well as the fine determined by the preceding article.

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225
Article 225 Commercial Law · Des Banqueroutes
Commercial Law
The judgments of the criminal courts against fraudulent bankrupts and their accomplices shall be posted, etc., in accordance with the Law on Criminal Procedure.
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The judgments of the criminal courts against fraudulent bankrupts and their accomplices shall be posted, etc., in accordance with the Law on Criminal Procedure.

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226
Article 226 Commercial Law · Des Testamens et Inventaires
Commercial Law
Wills made on board the kingdom's vessels and at sea shall be valid as if made before a notary, when they bear the formalities prescribed...
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Wills made on board the kingdom's vessels and at sea shall be valid as if made before a notary, when they bear the formalities prescribed in Title XVI of the Civil Law, Chapter IV, Section II, articles 618 to 628.

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227
Article 227 Commercial Law · Des Testamens et Inventaires
Commercial Law
Upon the death of a man on board, the ship's clerk shall be required to draw up the death certificate in the presence of two...
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Upon the death of a man on board, the ship's clerk shall be required to draw up the death certificate in the presence of two witnesses and to inventory the deceased's effects found on board; this inventory shall be signed by the captain and two witnesses. Seals shall be placed on the trunks, bags, effects, etc. of the deceased. The inventory shall be made on the quarterdeck in the presence of the crew; afterward the effects shall be placed in the cabin under the captain's responsibility, who shall be obliged, upon return to port, to deliver them to the rightful person.

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228
Article 228 Commercial Law · Des Testamens et Inventaires
Commercial Law
In the case where there is no will, and the deceased had effects or merchandise on board for another port, the captain is authorized to...
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In the case where there is no will, and the deceased had effects or merchandise on board for another port, the captain is authorized to trade them and return the proceeds to the rightful person; then, in addition to his freight, he shall be allowed the customary commission.

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229
Article 229 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
The admiralty courts shall have jurisdiction over all actions and disputes between merchants and traders, Haitian and foreign speculators, for reason of and in execution...
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The admiralty courts shall have jurisdiction over all actions and disputes between merchants and traders, Haitian and foreign speculators, for reason of and in execution of all acts, transactions, and facts whatsoever relating to land commerce, sea commerce, and navigation.

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230
Article 230 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
They shall have jurisdiction over the filing of balance sheets, the registers of the bankrupt merchant, the affirmation and verification of claims. Over oppositions to...
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They shall have jurisdiction over the filing of balance sheets, the registers of the bankrupt merchant, the affirmation and verification of claims. Over oppositions to arrangements proposed between the bankrupt and creditors, when these oppositions are based on matters within the admiralty judges' competence.

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231
Article 231 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
The law considers as acts of commerce: purchases of goods and merchandise intended for resale, shipment, or exchange, whether in their natural state or after...
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The law considers as acts of commerce: purchases of goods and merchandise intended for resale, shipment, or exchange, whether in their natural state or after being worked and processed. Commissions, brokerage, obligations between merchants and traders, bills of exchange, and remittances of money from one place to another. Supply and construction enterprises, purchases, sales, and resales of vessels and their rigging and equipment, whether intended for domestic or foreign navigation. Maritime expeditions, chartering, insurance, and generally all contracts concerning sea commerce. Obligations contracted toward crews for their salaries and wages, and obligations contracted by them for the service of commercial vessels.

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232
Article 232 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
The admiralty courts shall have jurisdiction over actions brought against all persons employed by and on the payroll of merchants; but only for the commercial...
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The admiralty courts shall have jurisdiction over actions brought against all persons employed by and on the payroll of merchants; but only for the commercial acts of the merchant to whom they are attached, as well as actions brought by them for their wages, salaries, and compensation.

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233
Article 233 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
They shall have jurisdiction over the filing of balance sheets, the registers of the bankrupt merchant, the affirmation and verification of claims. Over oppositions to...
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They shall have jurisdiction over the filing of balance sheets, the registers of the bankrupt merchant, the affirmation and verification of claims. Over oppositions to arrangements proposed between the bankrupt and creditors, when these oppositions are based on matters within the admiralty judges' competence.

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234
Article 234 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
It follows that these oppositions must contain, on penalty of nullity, the grounds of the opponent.
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It follows that these oppositions must contain, on penalty of nullity, the grounds of the opponent.

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235
Article 235 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
They shall have jurisdiction: 1° over the ratification of the agreement between the bankrupt and his creditors; 2° over the cession of the bankrupt's property...
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They shall have jurisdiction: 1° over the ratification of the agreement between the bankrupt and his creditors; 2° over the cession of the bankrupt's property for the portion assigned to them by the Law on Civil Procedure, articles 438 and following.

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236
Article 236 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
They shall not have jurisdiction over bills of exchange or promissory notes made by and in favor of non-merchant individuals; unless these bills of exchange...
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They shall not have jurisdiction over bills of exchange or promissory notes made by and in favor of non-merchant individuals; unless these bills of exchange and promissory notes relate to commercial operations.

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237
Article 237 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
Actions brought against a landowner, farmer, or cultivator for sale of produce from his own land; those brought against a merchant for payment of goods...
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Actions brought against a landowner, farmer, or cultivator for sale of produce from his own land; those brought against a merchant for payment of goods and merchandise for his personal use, are not within the jurisdiction of the admiralty courts.

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238
Article 238 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
The admiralty courts shall judge without appeal up to the sum of one thousand gourdes. All their judgments above this sum are subject to appeal,...
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The admiralty courts shall judge without appeal up to the sum of one thousand gourdes. All their judgments above this sum are subject to appeal, which shall be brought to the superior courts to which they report.

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239
Article 239 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
The procedures of the admiralty and appellate courts shall follow the forms prescribed by the Law on Civil Procedure.
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The procedures of the admiralty and appellate courts shall follow the forms prescribed by the Law on Civil Procedure.

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240
Article 240 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
An appeal may never and under no pretext be received, even when the judgment does not state it is without appeal, if the principal sum...
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An appeal may never and under no pretext be received, even when the judgment does not state it is without appeal, if the principal sum requiring a judgment does not exceed one thousand gourdes.

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241
Article 241 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
The appellate courts may in no case, not even for reasons of incompetence, suspend the execution of admiralty court judgments; but these courts shall take...
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The appellate courts may in no case, not even for reasons of incompetence, suspend the execution of admiralty court judgments; but these courts shall take up the case to be argued before them.

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242
Article 242 Commercial Law · De la Compétence des Cours d'Amirauté
Commercial Law
Appeals of admiralty court judgments shall be heard and decided summarily, in accordance with the provisions for summary matters prescribed by the Law on Civil...
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Appeals of admiralty court judgments shall be heard and decided summarily, in accordance with the provisions for summary matters prescribed by the Law on Civil Procedure.