page_title: Law of France
hierarchical_section_title: Law of France
caption_attribution_description: English: An overview over the french system of jurisdiction Deutsch: Eine Übersicht über die Organisation der Französischen Gerichte Français&#160;: L'organisation juridictionnelle française
context_page_description: The Law of France refers to the legal system in the French Republic, which is a civil law legal system primarily based on legal codes and statutes, with case law also playing an important role. The most influential of the French legal codes is the Napoleonic Civil Code, which inspired the civil codes of Europe and later across the world. The Constitution of France adopted in 1958 is the supreme law in France. European Union law is becoming increasingly important in France, as in other EU member states.
  In academic terms, French law can be divided into two main categories: private law and public law. This differs from the traditional common law concepts in which the main distinction is between criminal law and civil law.
  Private law governs relationships between individuals. It includes, in particular:
  Civil law. This branch refers to the field of private law in common law systems. This branch encompasses the fields of inheritance law, civil law, family law, property law, and contract law.
  Commercial law
  Employment law
  Public law defines the structure and the workings of the government as well as relationships between the state and the individual. It includes, in particular:
context_section_description: The Law of France refers to the legal system in the French Republic, which is a civil law legal system primarily based on legal codes and statutes, with case law also playing an important role. The most influential of the French legal codes is the Napoleonic Civil Code, which inspired the civil codes of Europe and later across the world. The Constitution of France adopted in 1958 is the supreme law in France. European Union law is becoming increasingly important in France, as in other EU member states. 
  In academic terms, French law can be divided into two main categories: private law (Droit privé) and public law (droit public). This differs from the traditional common law concepts in which the main distinction is between criminal law and civil law.
  Private law governs relationships between individuals. It includes, in particular:
  Civil law (droit civil). This branch refers to the field of private law in common law systems. This branch encompasses the fields of inheritance law, civil law, family law, property law, and contract law.
  Commercial law (droit commercial)
  Employment law (droit du travail)
  Public law defines the structure and the workings of the government as well as relationships between the state and the individual. It includes, in particular:
  Criminal law (droit pénal)
  Administrative law (droit administratif)
  Constitutional law (droit constitutionnel)
  Together, these two distinctions form the backbone of legal studies in France, such that it has become a classical distinction
caption: French system of Jurisdiction
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