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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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18
Article 18 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Jugemens sur Actions possessoires
Civil Procedure
The possessory action and the ownership action may not be combined; whoever has filed the ownership claim shall no longer be admitted to file for...
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The possessory action and the ownership action may not be combined; whoever has filed the ownership claim shall no longer be admitted to file for maintenance of possession.

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Article 19 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Jugemens sur Actions possessoires
Civil Procedure
If the possession or disturbance is denied, an inquiry shall be made, but it may not address ownership.
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If the possession or disturbance is denied, an inquiry shall be made, but it may not address ownership.

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20
Article 20 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Jugemens sur Actions possessoires
Civil Procedure
The claim on ownership of the property may only be filed by the defendant after the decision on possession or disturbance, and after satisfying any...
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The claim on ownership of the property may only be filed by the defendant after the decision on possession or disturbance, and after satisfying any condemnations imposed.

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21
Article 21 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Jugemens qui ne sont pas Définitifs, et de leurs Exécutions
Civil Procedure
Non-final judgments pronounced in the presence of the parties shall not be dispatched, and if they order operations requiring the parties' attendance, they shall only...
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Non-final judgments pronounced in the presence of the parties shall not be dispatched, and if they order operations requiring the parties' attendance, they shall only indicate the place, day, and hour, without any citation.

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Article 22 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Jugemens qui ne sont pas Définitifs, et de leurs Exécutions
Civil Procedure
The parish judge shall issue a citation to summon experts or witnesses, if the judgment orders operations or inquiries; it shall contain the facts, the...
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The parish judge shall issue a citation to summon experts or witnesses, if the judgment orders operations or inquiries; it shall contain the facts, the judgment's provisions, its date, and mention of the place, day, and hour.

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23
Article 23 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Jugemens qui ne sont pas Définitifs, et de leurs Exécutions
Civil Procedure
If the judge travels to a location, he shall be assisted by the clerk who must carry the minute of the preparatory judgment.
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If the judge travels to a location, he shall be assisted by the clerk who must carry the minute of the preparatory judgment.

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Article 24 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Jugemens qui ne sont pas Définitifs, et de leurs Exécutions
Civil Procedure
Appeals of non-final judgments shall not be admitted; their execution does not prejudice the parties.
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Appeals of non-final judgments shall not be admitted; their execution does not prejudice the parties.

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Article 25 Law on Civil Procedure · De la Mise en Cause des Garans
Civil Procedure
If the request to implead a guarantor is not made by the defendant at the first appearance, proceedings shall continue without regard to it, deciding...
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If the request to implead a guarantor is not made by the defendant at the first appearance, proceedings shall continue without regard to it, deciding the main case, with the guarantee decided separately; the citation to the guarantor is drafted without notification of the judgment.

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Article 26 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Enquêtes
Civil Procedure
If the parties disagree on the facts, and the judge finds witness verification necessary, he shall order it and precisely fix its scope.
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If the parties disagree on the facts, and the judge finds witness verification necessary, he shall order it and precisely fix its scope.

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Article 27 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Enquêtes
Civil Procedure
The witnesses state their names, profession, age, and residence, take the oath to tell the truth, declare whether they are related or allied to the...
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The witnesses state their names, profession, age, and residence, take the oath to tell the truth, declare whether they are related or allied to the parties and to what degree, and whether they are their servants or domestic employees.

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Article 28 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Enquêtes
Civil Procedure
Witnesses are heard separately, in the presence of the parties if they appear; the parties may not interrupt them and must submit their challenges before...
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Witnesses are heard separately, in the presence of the parties if they appear; the parties may not interrupt them and must submit their challenges before the deposition begins; witnesses shall sign their depositions, or mention is made that they cannot. The judge may, of his own motion, make such inquiries as he deems appropriate.

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Article 29 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Enquêtes
Civil Procedure
The clerk is required, in cases subject to appeal, to draw up an official record of witness depositions, which they must sign after reading, along...
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The clerk is required, in cases subject to appeal, to draw up an official record of witness depositions, which they must sign after reading, along with the judge and clerk, and the case shall then proceed to judgment immediately or at the next hearing at latest; but in cases that may be judged without appeal, no official record is drawn up; in that case, the judgment itself states the witnesses' names, professions, and residences, their oaths, whether they are related or allied to or domestic employees of the parties, the challenges, and the result of the depositions.

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Article 30 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Visites des Lieux et des Appréciations
Civil Procedure
If it is necessary to verify the condition of premises or to assess requested indemnities and damages, the premises may be visited by the judge...
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If it is necessary to verify the condition of premises or to assess requested indemnities and damages, the premises may be visited by the judge in the presence of the parties; he may order, if he deems it useful, that experts he appoints by judgment shall inspect and give their opinion; he may judge on the spot without leaving. The inspection record, in appealable cases, is drawn up by the clerk, certifying the experts' oath, signed by them and by the judge and clerk; for cases judged without appeal, no record is drawn up; the judgment stating the experts' names, their oath, and the result of their opinion is sufficient.

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Article 31 Law on Civil Procedure · De la Récusation des Lieutenans de Juge
Civil Procedure
Parish judges and their substitutes may be recused: 1° When they have a personal interest in the dispute; 2° If they are related or allied...
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Parish judges and their substitutes may be recused: 1° When they have a personal interest in the dispute; 2° If they are related or allied to the parties up to and including first cousin; 3° If within the year there has been a criminal case between them and one of the parties, or their spouse, or their direct-line relatives; 4° If there is a criminal case between them and one of the parties or their spouse; 5° If they have given their opinion in the matter.

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Article 32 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Ajournemens
Civil Procedure
The defendant or one of the defendants, if there are several, shall be summoned: in personal matters, before the seneschal's court of his domicile; in...
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The defendant or one of the defendants, if there are several, shall be summoned: in personal matters, before the seneschal's court of his domicile; in real matters, before the court where the disputed object is situated; in mixed matters, before either; for partnership matters, before the judge where it is established; in bankruptcy, before the judge of the bankrupt's domicile; in guarantee, before the judge where the original action is pending; and in succession matters: 1° between heirs until partition; 2° creditor claims before partition; 3° execution of testamentary dispositions until final judgment, before the court where the succession opened; and finally before the judge of the elected domicile, or the defendant's actual domicile.

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Article 33 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Ajournemens
Civil Procedure
The summons shall contain: 1° The date, the plaintiff's names, profession, and domicile, the appointment of his attorney with whom domicile is elected by right;...
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The summons shall contain: 1° The date, the plaintiff's names, profession, and domicile, the appointment of his attorney with whom domicile is elected by right; 2° The bailiff's names, residence, and registration number, the defendant's names and residence, with mention of the person to whom the copy is left; 3° The object of the claim and a summary of the grounds; 4° The indication of the seneschal's court with jurisdiction and the time to appear; all on penalty of nullity.

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Article 34 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Ajournemens
Civil Procedure
Only one day's fee at most shall be paid for all travel costs when a bailiff must travel.
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Only one day's fee at most shall be paid for all travel costs when a bailiff must travel.

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Article 35 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Ajournemens
Civil Procedure
In real or mixed matters, writs shall state, for an estate or dwelling, its name and location; and for part of an estate, the parish...
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In real or mixed matters, writs shall state, for an estate or dwelling, its name and location; and for part of an estate, the parish name with at least two boundaries; all also on penalty of nullity.

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Article 36 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Ajournemens
Civil Procedure
With the writ, copies of the documents or parts of documents on which the claim is founded shall be given; if this is omitted, the...
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With the writ, copies of the documents or parts of documents on which the claim is founded shall be given; if this is omitted, the copies the plaintiff must provide during the proceedings shall not be included in the cost assessment.

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Article 37 Law on Civil Procedure · Des Ajournemens
Civil Procedure
No bailiff may serve a summons for his relatives and in-laws, and those of his wife, in the direct line infinitely, nor for his collateral...
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No bailiff may serve a summons for his relatives and in-laws, and those of his wife, in the direct line infinitely, nor for his collateral relatives up to and including first cousin; all on penalty of nullity.

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