French colonial law

French Colonial Law
Letter from the Minister of Justice to the Minister of the Navy and Colonies concerning documents on "men of color" (hommes de couleur)

French colonial law refers to the segment of French law historically practiced within the French colonial empire. This colonial law ^{[fr; de]} was designed under the premise of a "civilizing mission," but in practice, it often entailed discriminatory treatment of colonized populations^{[citation needed]}. Key institutions included the French colonial native code (French: indigénat) and legal slavery. French colonial law frequently aimed to manage colonized peoples through an understanding of their social structures, often referred to as "customs." Specialists in French colonial law included administrators ^[fr], jurists^[clarify], and magistrates ^[fr].