THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH LEGALSYSTEM

Abstract

The history of the French legal system, as part of the Civil Law, has been gradually formed since the Ancien Regime.1 The rupture resulting from the Revolution of 1789 and the institution of the Napoleonic Code of 1804 marked a decisive turning point in the history of law in France, with the gradual abolition of numerous institutions of medieval and modern origin.2 Under the Ancien Régime, French law did not apply uniformly throughout the territory, since it differed from one province to another.3In the south, Roman law was applied, and in the north a multitude of customs were used. The Current French law is the combined product of several laws such as the a) Roman law;b) German law;c) Customary law;d) Canon law, e) the Law of absolute monarchy; and d) the Revolutionary law.