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 12311240 of 48272 articles for Art. Cass. com. 5 April 2016 n° 14-15.860 · Cass. 1re civ. 25 May 2005 · Cass. 3e civ. 14 March 2012 · Cass. com. 29 April 2003 · Cass. com. 5 February 2020 n° 18-21.689

French Civil CodeIn force
Chapter I: Qualities and conditions required to enter into marriage

Article 146-1

The marriage of a French national, even if contracted abroad, requires his or her presence.

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Section 2: Conflict of laws relating to parentage

Article 311-14

Parentage is governed by the personal law of the mother on the day of the child's birth; if the mother is unknown, by the personal law of the child.

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 1: Judicial supervision

Article 141-1

The powers conferred on the investigating judge by Articles 139 and 140shall, in any event, fall within the jurisdiction of the competent court according to the distinctions of Article 148-1.

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 3: Pre-trial detention

Article 144-2

Where release is ordered on the basis of the provisions of articles 143-1,144,144-1,145-2,145-3 or 706-24-3, but that it is likely to place the victim at risk, the court shall place the person under i…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 2: House arrest with electronic surveillance

Article 142-11

Home detention with electronic monitoring is treated in the same way as pre-trial detention for the purposes of counting its full duration against that of a custodial sentence, in accordance with Arti…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 3: Pre-trial detention

Article 145-3

Where the duration of pre-trial detention exceeds one year in criminal cases or eight months in misdemeanour cases, decisions ordering its extension or rejecting applications for release must also inc…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 2: House arrest with electronic surveillance

Article 142-13

A decree shall determine the detailed rules for the application of this subsection.

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 4: Compensation for detention

Article 149-1

The compensation provided for in the preceding article shall be awarded by decision of the first president of the court of appeal within whose jurisdiction the decision to dismiss, acquit or acquit wa…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 3: Pre-trial detention

Article 148-3

Prior to release, the person under investigation must make the declaration of address provided for in the fourth paragraph of Article 116. The person under investigation is informed that he or she mus…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Code of Criminal ProcedureIn force
Subsection 4: Compensation for detention

Article 149-4

The procedure before the first president of the court of appeal and the national commission, which rule as civil courts, is laid down by a decree in the Conseil d'Etat.

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
Search “Art. Cass. com. 5 April 2016 n° 14-15.860 · Cass. 1re civ. 25 May 2005 · Cass. 3e civ. 14 March 2012 · Cass. com. 29 April 2003 · Cass. com. 5 February 2020 n° 18-21.689” | French Legislation