Napoleonic code

The original Napoleonic Code, or Code Napoléon (originally called the Code civil des français, or civil code of the French), was the French civil code, established at the behest of Napoléon. It entered into force on March 21, 1804. Even though the Napoleonic code was not the first legal code to be established in a European country with a civil legal system — it was preceded by the Codex Maximilianeus bavaricus civilis (Bavaria, 1756), the Allgemeines Landrecht (Prussia, 1792) and the West Galician Code, (Galicia, then part of Austria, 1797) — it is considered the first successful codification and strongly influenced the law of many other countries.

Related Topics:
French - Civil code - Napoléon - March 21 - 1804 - Civil - Legal system - Codex Maximilianeus bavaricus civilis - Bavaria - 1756 - Allgemeines Landrecht - Prussia - 1792 - West Galician Code - Galicia - Austria - 1797 - Codification

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The Napoleonic Code properly said dealt only with civil law issues, such as filiation and property; other codes were later published dealing with criminal law, criminal procedure and commercial law. It also did not deal with how laws and regulations were to be passed — which is reserved for a constitution.

Related Topics:
Property - Criminal law - Criminal procedure - Commercial law - Constitution

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The Code, with its stress on clearly written and accessible law, was a major step in establishing the rule of law.

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