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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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77
Article 77 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
The fraudulent bankrupt shall be punished with six years at the barrière neuve.
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The fraudulent bankrupt shall be punished with six years at the barrière neuve.

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78
Article 78 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
Those who aided or facilitated a fraudulent bankruptcy shall be punished with the same penalty.
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Those who aided or facilitated a fraudulent bankruptcy shall be punished with the same penalty.

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79
Article 79 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
Receivers of stolen goods shall be considered as the thieves themselves, and condemned to the same penalties, as the case requires.
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Receivers of stolen goods shall be considered as the thieves themselves, and condemned to the same penalties, as the case requires.

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80
Article 80 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
Whoever is convicted of having, out of revenge or with intent to harm others, set fire to houses or any buildings, or destroyed or broken...
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Whoever is convicted of having, out of revenge or with intent to harm others, set fire to houses or any buildings, or destroyed or broken dikes necessary for water retention, shall suffer the death penalty.

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81
Article 81 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
Whoever, out of revenge, is convicted of having poisoned horses, sheep, goats, pigs, or animals useful for farming, shall be punished with one year at...
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Whoever, out of revenge, is convicted of having poisoned horses, sheep, goats, pigs, or animals useful for farming, shall be punished with one year at the barrière neuve; and if the custody or supervision of said animals had been entrusted to him, he shall be punished with two years.

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82
Article 82 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
Extorting by violence the signature of a writing, an act of sale, obligation, or discharge, falls within the class of thefts committed by open force;...
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Extorting by violence the signature of a writing, an act of sale, obligation, or discharge, falls within the class of thefts committed by open force; and must be punished, as such, with five years at the barrière neuve.

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83
Article 83 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
False testimony in civil matters shall be punished with four years at the barrière neuve.
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False testimony in civil matters shall be punished with four years at the barrière neuve.

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84
Article 84 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
In criminal matters, false testimony is punished with ten years at the barrière neuve, and even the death penalty against the false witness, if a...
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In criminal matters, false testimony is punished with ten years at the barrière neuve, and even the death penalty against the false witness, if a death sentence was handed down against the accused.

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85
Article 85 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
Accomplices to crimes shall be condemned to the penalties pronounced against the guilty parties.
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Accomplices to crimes shall be condemned to the penalties pronounced against the guilty parties.

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86
Article 86 Criminal, Correctional and Police Law · Des crimes contre les propriétés
Criminal Law
The law declares convicted of complicity whoever, by promises, actual gifts, orders, or threats, provoked the guilty party to commit the crime; and whoever procured...
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The law declares convicted of complicity whoever, by promises, actual gifts, orders, or threats, provoked the guilty party to commit the crime; and whoever procured the means, by furnishing weapons, false keys, or other instruments used in the execution.

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1
Article 1 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
In criminal, correctional, and simple police matters, there are two distinct actions, the public action and the civil action.
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In criminal, correctional, and simple police matters, there are two distinct actions, the public action and the civil action.

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2
Article 2 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
The public action has as its object the application of penalties; it belongs to the magistrates charged with exercising the public ministry before the various...
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The public action has as its object the application of penalties; it belongs to the magistrates charged with exercising the public ministry before the various courts, seneschal courts, and courts of justice of the kingdom.

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3
Article 3 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
The civil action is that which may and has the right to be exercised by whoever has suffered loss or damage caused by a crime,...
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The civil action is that which may and has the right to be exercised by whoever has suffered loss or damage caused by a crime, offense, or contravention of laws and police regulations; to demand reparation thereof, and to constitute himself a civil party for that purpose.

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4
Article 4 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
The death of the person accused of an offense or crime extinguishes the exercise of the public action for the application of the penalty.
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The death of the person accused of an offense or crime extinguishes the exercise of the public action for the application of the penalty.

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5
Article 5 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
The civil action for reparation of damage is not extinguished by the death of the accused; it continues against his representatives or heirs.
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The civil action for reparation of damage is not extinguished by the death of the accused; it continues against his representatives or heirs.

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6
Article 6 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
The public action and the civil action may be exercised at the same time, and before the same judges.
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The public action and the civil action may be exercised at the same time, and before the same judges.

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7
Article 7 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
The exercise of the public action may not be prevented or suspended by the withdrawal of the civil action.
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The exercise of the public action may not be prevented or suspended by the withdrawal of the civil action.

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8
Article 8 Law on Criminal Procedure · Dispositions Générales
Criminal Procedure
Both actions are extinguished by a determined lapse of time, as shall be explained hereafter in Title III, Chapter V, on prescription.
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Both actions are extinguished by a determined lapse of time, as shall be explained hereafter in Title III, Chapter V, on prescription.

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9
Article 9 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
The competence of judges is determined according to the place, nature, and gravity of the crime, offense, or contravention.
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The competence of judges is determined according to the place, nature, and gravity of the crime, offense, or contravention.

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10
Article 10 Law on Criminal Procedure · De la compétence des Juges
Criminal Procedure
The judge within whose jurisdiction the crime, offense, or contravention was committed is the competent judge to hear it, according to the level of jurisdiction.
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The judge within whose jurisdiction the crime, offense, or contravention was committed is the competent judge to hear it, according to the level of jurisdiction.