French Legislation In English

Search, Read and Apply French Law. In English.

20+ full codes, 2,400+ articles translated and updated. Case law linked to every article. Read the actual text before you ask a lawyer about it — free, no login required.

Try: L.227-1 SAS governance, L.145-9 bail commercial renewal, L.223-18 gérant removal SARL

20+

french codes

Fully translated

2,400+

articles in English

Updated regularly

480+

court rulings linked

Per article

Free

full access

No login required

Showing 651660 of 41745 articles for Art. 4 mai 1994

French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Paragraph 1: General provisions

Article 481

If the court considers that the items placed in the hands of the justice system are useful in establishing the truth or are liable to confiscation, it shall stay the proceedings until it has reached a…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Customs CodeIn force
Paragraph 2: Special procedures for calculating financial penalties.

Article 438

Where the court is convinced that offers, proposals to buy or sell, or agreements of any kind relating to the objects of fraud have been made or entered into at a price higher than the domestic market…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Customs CodeIn force
Title XV: The tax, customs and foreign exchange litigation committee.

Article 461

The Committee invites the taxpayer to submit, within thirty days, any written observations that it deems useful to present in support of its request for a settlement, or to present oral observations a…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of civil procedureIn force
Chapter II: Territorial jurisdiction.

Article 42

The court having territorial jurisdiction shall, unless otherwise provided, be that of the place where the defendant resides. If there are several defendants, the plaintiff shall seise, at his choice,…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of civil procedureIn force
Paragraph 1: General provisions

Article 431

The public prosecutor is only required to attend the hearing in cases where he is the principal party, in cases where he represents another party or where his presence is made compulsory by law.In all…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Customs CodeIn force
C. - Third class.

Article 412

…goods and a fine of between €300 and €3700 where they are not specifically punishable under article 414-2 : 1° any act of smuggling as well as any act of importing or exporting without declaration whe…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Customs CodeIn force
Paragraph 3: Penalties involving deprivation of rights.

Article 433

1. Any person found by a court of law to have abused a suspensive procedure may, by decision of the Director General of Customs and Excise, be excluded from the temporary admission procedure and be de…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of civil procedureIn force
Title XII: Legal representation and assistance.

Article 419

A representative who intends to terminate his mandate shall not be discharged from it until he has informed his principal, the judge and the opposing party of his intention. Where representation is co…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of civil procedureIn force
Subsection III: The judgment.

Article 458

What is prescribed by articles 447,451,454, as regards the mention of the names of judges, 455 (paragraph 1) and 456 (paragraphs 1 and 2) must be observed on pain of nullity. However, no nullity may s…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Paragraph 3: The tutor

Article 403

The individual right to choose a guardian, whether related to the minor or not, belongs only to the last surviving father and mother if he or she has retained, on the day of death, the exercise of par…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
Common Questions

French legislation in English — Q&A

Our translations are produced and reviewed for accuracy, but the only legally binding version of French law is the French original. For court, registry or contractual use we offer lawyer-reviewed or sworn certified translations on request.

Articles are synced with Légifrance and updated as soon as a reform is published in the Journal Officiel, so you always read the version in force — and can see when each article was last amended.

Each article is linked to the key court decisions (Cour de cassation, Conseil d'État, courts of appeal) that interpret it, so you can read the text and its case-law application side by side.

Yes — every article has an AI plain-English summary, and you can order a lawyer-reviewed explanation of how it applies to your specific situation, with next steps.

No. Reading and searching the codes is free with no login. Paid services — certified translation and the legal application report — are entirely optional.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In French Corporate Practice

English · French · Russian

Ready When You Are

Talk To A Lawyer
In France.

A 20–30 minute call, in English, to scope the engagement. No obligation, no preliminary fee. You will leave the call with a clear view of what the work will cover and what it will cost.

First EngagementFixed Fee

Talk to a French lawyer.

Reply within 24 hours.

Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

Continue

Related legal services

01 / Read

Browse the French codes

20+ full codes and 2,400+ articles in English, with the key court rulings linked to every article — free to read.

Read More
02 / Apply

Legal application report

A lawyer-reviewed report explaining how the relevant articles apply to your situation, with case-law analysis and next steps.

Read More
03 / Act

Talk to a French lawyer

Scope your matter with a Paris-Bar avocate — incorporation, contracts, disputes — handled bilingually, end to end.

Read More