THE CODIFICATION OF LAW IN HONDURAS (1825–1880): FROM SPANISH LEGAL TRADITION TO NATIONAL LEGISLATION

Abstract

In 2025, Honduras commemorates 200 years since its first Constituent Congress mandated the drafting of civil and criminal codes. Taking this bicentennial as a starting point, this article examines the country’s legal codification process between 1825 and 1880—a period marked by repeated attempts to replace Spanish monarchical law with republican national legislation. Although codification was an early goal of independence, it was delayed by civil wars, institutional instability, weak administration, and international tensions. Only during the Liberal Reform, under President Marco Aurelio Soto, were the first national codes enacted. This study reconstructs the key legislative efforts of the 19th century, analyzes the selection of the Chilean model as a legal reference, and discusses the symbolic, political, and normative impact of the 1880 codification. Using a pragmatic historical methodology, the article argues that the enactment of the codes was a foundational milestone in the formation of the Honduran liberal state.