Works of the Civil Reform Committee on the Civil Law and Civil Procedure Codification on the Eve of the Establishment of Kingdom of Poland (1814 – 1815) – Historical Source Edition. Part II

As part of the series of source publications commenced in the second fascicule of the 12th volume of “Krakowskie Studia z Historii Państwa i Prawa” [Krakow Studies in History of State and Law], we are publishing [Draft] to Replace Title 5 of Book 1 of the French Civil Code  and fragments of the minutes of Civil Reform Committee’s sessions concerning this draft. On 23 October of 1814 Antoni Bieńkowski presented at the Committee’s session drafts of marital laws: personal and property. The former of the two drafts is published below, whereas the latter will be printed in the upcoming fascicule of “Krakowskie Studia z Historii Państwa i Prawa”. This draft, similarly to the others penned by Committee members, never came into effect as law. The issue of upholding the lay system of marital law, introduced by the Napoleonic Code, remained a contentious one for years to come. In 1825 the Sejm enacted Book One of the Civil Code of the Kingdom of Poland, which implemented a mixed model of marital personal law. Lay elements, however, were a lot stronger there than in the 1814 draft (particularly, also marital issues concerning Catholics were placed within the jurisdiction of common courts of law). Also this law was heavily criticized by the conservative circles. 

As part of the series of source publications commenced in the second fascicule of the 12th volume of “Krakowskie Studia z Historii Państwa i Prawa” [Krakow Studies in History of State and Law], we are publishing [Draft] to Replace Title 5 of Book 1 of the French Civil Code  and fragments of the minutes of Civil Reform Committee’s sessions concerning this draft. On 23 October of 1814 Antoni Bieńkowski presented at the Committee’s session drafts of marital laws: personal and property. The former of the two drafts is published below, whereas the latter will be printed in the upcoming fascicule of “Krakowskie Studia z Historii Państwa i Prawa”. This draft, similarly to the others penned by Committee members, never came into effect as law. The issue of upholding the lay system of marital law, introduced by the Napoleonic Code, remained a contentious one for years to come. In 1825 the Sejm enacted Book One of the Civil Code of the Kingdom of Poland, which implemented a mixed model of marital personal law. Lay elements, however, were a lot stronger there than in the 1814 draft (particularly, also marital issues concerning Catholics were placed within the jurisdiction of common courts of law). Also this law was heavily criticized by the conservative circles.