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This page is a 'list of French justice ministers'.
Under the ''ancien régime'', the French minister responsible for the judiciary was the 'Chancellor of France'. The Chancellor was responsible for seeing that royal decrees were registered by the various Parlements of the realm. However, as the Chancellor was appointed for life, and might fall from favour, or be too ill to carry out his duties, at times the duties were carried out by a deputy, the Keeper of the Seals. The last Chancellor died in 1790, by which time the French Revolution was well underway, and was not replaced. Instead, in 1791, the Keeper of the Seals was given the additional title of 'Minister of Justice'.

Contents

Chancellors of France

Keepers of the Seals, 1699-1790

Ministers of Justice, 1790-1944

Free French Commissioners for Justice, 1941-1944

Ministers of Justice, 1944-present

Chancellors of France

'Chancellor'	'Began'	'Ended'
Louis Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain	5 September 1699	1 July 1714
Daniel Voysin de La Noiraye	2 July 1714	2 February 1717
Henri François d'Aguesseau	3 February 1717	27 October 1750
Guillaume de Lamoignon de Blancmesnil	10 December 1750	14 September 1768
René Nicolas de Maupeou	16 September 1768	1 July 1790

Keepers of the Seals, 1699-1790

'Keeper of the Seals'	'Began'	'Ended'
Louis Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain	5 September 1699	1 July 1714
Daniel Voysin de La Noiraye	2 July 1714	2 February 1717
Henri François d'Aguesseau	3 February 1717	28 January 1718
Marc René de Voyer de Paulmy, marquis d'Argenson	28 January 1718	7 June 1720
Henri François d'Aguesseau	8 June 1720	28 February 1722
Joseph Jean Baptiste Fleuriau d'Armenonville	28 February 1722	17 August 1727
Germain Louis Chauvelin	23 August 1727	20 February 1737
Henri François d'Aguesseau	20 February 1737	27 November 1750
Jean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville	27 November 1750	1 February 1757
vacant	1 February 1757	13 October 1761
Nicolas René Berryer	13 October 1761	15 September 1762
Paul Esprit Feydeau de Brou	27 September 1762	3 October 1763
René Charles de Maupeou	3 October 1763	18 September 1768
René Nicolas de Maupeou	18 September 1768	24 August 1774
Armand Thomas Hue de Miromesnil	24 August 1774	8 April 1787
Chrétien François de Lamoignon de Basville	8 April 1787	14 September 1788
Charles Louis François de Paule de Barentin	17 September 1788	3 August 1789
Jérôme Champion de Cicé	4 August 1789	21 November 1790

Ministers of Justice, 1790-1944

'Minister'	'Began'	'Ended'
Marguerite Louis François Duport-Dutertre	21 November 1790	23 March 1792
Jean-Marie Roland de La Platière	23 March 1792	14 April 1792
Antoine Duranthon	14 April 1792	4 July 1792
Étienne Louis Hector Dejoly	4 July 1792	10 August 1792
Georges Danton	10 August 1792	9 October 1792
Dominique Joseph Garat	9 October 1792	20 March 1793
Louis Jérôme Gohier	20 March 1793	20 April 1794
none	20 April 1794	3 November 1795
Philippe Antoine Merlin de Douai	3 November 1795	5 January 1796
Charles François Jean Joseph Victor Génissieu	5 January 1796	4 April 1796
Philippe Antoine Merlin de Douai	4 April 1796	24 September 1797
Charles Joseph Mathieu Lambrechts	24 September 1797	20 July 1799
Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès	20 July 1799	25 December 1799
André Joseph Abrial	25 December 1799	14 September 1802
Claude Régnier, duc de Massa	14 September 1802	20 November 1813
Mathieu Louis Molé	20 November 1813	1 April 1814
Pierre Paul Nicolas, baron Henrion de Pansey	3 April 1814	13 May 1814
Charles, chevalier Dambray	13 May 1814	20 March 1815
Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès, duc de Parme	20 March 1815	22 June 1815
Antoine, comte Boulay de la Meurthe	22 June 1815	7 July 1815
Étienne Denis, baron Pasquier	9 July 1815	26 September 1815
François, comte de Barbé-Marbois	26 September 1815	7 May 1816
Charles, chevalier Dambray	7 May 1816	19 January 1817
Étienne Denis, baron Pasquier	19 January 1817	29 December 1818
Pierre François Hercule, comte de Serre	29 December 1818	14 December 1821
Charles Ignace, comte de Peyronnet	14 December 1821	4 January 1828
Joseph Marie, comte Portalis	4 January 1828	14 May 1829
Pierre Alpinien Bertrand Bourdeau	14 May 1829	8 August 1829
Jean Joseph Antoine de Courvoisier	8 August 1829	19 May 1830
Jean de Chantelauze	19 May 1830	31 July 1830
Jacques Charles Dupont de l'Eure	31 July 1830	27 December 1830
Joseph Mérilhou	27 December 1830	13 March 1831
Félix Barthe	13 March 1831	4 April 1834
Jean Persil	4 April 1834	22 February 1836
Paul Sauzet	22 February 1836	6 September 1836
Jean Persil	6 September 1836	15 April 1837
Félix Barthe	15 April 1837	31 March 1839
Louis Gaspard Amédée, baron Girod de l'Ain	31 March 1839	12 May 1839
Jean-Baptiste Teste	12 May 1839	1 March 1840
Alexandre François Vivien	1 March 1840	29 October 1840
Nicolas Martin du Nord	29 October 1840	12 March 1847
Michel Pierre Alexis Hébert	14 March 1847	24 February 1848
Adolphe Crémieux	24 February 1848	7 June 1848
Eugène Bethmont	7 June 1848	17 July 1848
Alexandre Marie	17 July 1848	20 December 1848
Eugène Rouher	20 December 1848	26 October 1851
Joseph Corbin	26 October 1851	1 November 1851
Alfred Daviel	1 November 1851	3 December 1851
Eugène Rouher	3 December 1851	22 January 1852
Jacques Abbatucci	22 January 1852	11 November 1857
Paul de Royer	11 November 1857	5 May 1859
Claude Alphonse Delangle	5 May 1859	23 June 1863
Jules Baroche	23 June 1863	17 July 1869
Jean-Baptiste Duvergier	17 July 1869	2 January 1870
Émile Ollivier	2 January 1870	10 August 1870
Michel Grandperret	10 August 1870	4 September 1870
Adolphe Crémieux	4 September 1870	19 February 1871
Jules Dufaure	19 February 1871	25 May 1873
Jean Ernoul	25 May 1873	26 November 1873
Octave Depeyre	26 November 1873	22 May 1874
Adrien Tailhand	22 May 1874	10 March 1875
Jules Dufaure	10 March 1875	12 December 1876
Louis Martel	12 December 1876	17 May 1877
Albert, duc de Broglie	17 May 1877	23 November 1877
François Le Pelletier	23 November 1877	13 December 1877
Jules Dufaure	13 December 1877	4 February 1879
Philippe Le Royer	4 February 1879	28 December 1879
Jules Cazot	28 December 1879	30 January 1882
Gustave Humbert	30 January 1882	7 August 1882
Paul Devès	7 August 1882	21 February 1883
Félix Martin-Feuillée	21 February 1883	6 April 1885
Henri Brisson	6 April 1885	7 January 1886
Charles Demôle	7 January 1886	11 December 1886
Ferdinand Sarrien	11 December 1886	30 May 1887
Charles Mazeau	30 May 1887	30 November 1887
Armand Fallières	30 November 1887	3 April 1888
Jean-Baptiste Ferrouillat	3 April 1888	5 February 1889
Edmond Guyot-Dessaigne	5 February 1889	22 February 1889
François Thévenet	22 February 1889	17 March 1890
Armand Fallières	17 March 1890	27 February 1892
Louis Ricard	27 February 1892	6 December 1892
Léon Bourgeois	6 December 1892	12 March 1893
Jules Develle	12 March 1893	13 March 1893
Léon Bourgeois	13 March 1893	4 April 1893
Eugène Guérin	4 April 1893	3 December 1893
Antonin Dubost	3 December 1893	30 May 1894
Eugène Guérin	30 May 1894	26 January 1895
Ludovic Trarieux	26 January 1895	1 November 1895
Louis Ricard	1 November 1895	29 April 1896
Jean-Baptiste Darlan	29 April 1896	2 December 1897
Victor Milliard	2 December 1897	28 June 1898
Ferdinand Sarrien	28 June 1898	1 November 1898
Georges Lebret	1 November 1898	22 June 1899
Ernest Monis	22 June 1899	7 June 1902
Ernest Vallé	7 June 1902	24 January 1905
Joseph Chaumié	24 January 1905	14 March 1906
Ferdinand Sarrien	14 March 1906	25 October 1906
Edmond Guyot-Dessaigne	25 October 1906	31 December 1907
Aristide Briand	4 January 1908	24 July 1909
Louis Barthou	24 July 1909	3 November 1910
Théodore Girard	3 November 1910	2 March 1911
Antoine Perrier	2 March 1911	27 June 1911
Jean Cruppi	27 June 1911	14 January 1912
Aristide Briand	14 January 1912	21 January 1913
Louis Barthou	21 January 1913	22 March 1913
Antony Ratier	22 March 1913	9 December 1913
Jean-Baptiste Bienvenu-Martin	9 December 1913	9 June 1914
Alexandre Ribot	9 June 1914	13 June 1914
Jean-Baptiste Bienvenu-Martin	13 June 1914	26 August 1914
Aristide Briand	26 August 1914	29 October 1915
René Viviani	29 October 1915	12 September 1917
Raoul Péret	12 September 1917	16 November 1917
Louis Nail	16 November 1917	20 January 1920
Gustave L'Hopiteau	20 January 1920	16 January 1921
Laurent Bonnevay	16 January 1921	15 January 1922
Louis Barthou	15 January 1922	5 October 1922
Maurice Colrat	5 October 1922	29 March 1924
Edmond Lefebvre du Prey	29 March 1924	9 June 1924
Antony Ratier	9 June 1924	14 June 1924
René Renoult	14 June 1924	17 April 1925
Théodore Steeg	17 April 1925	11 October 1925
Anatole de Monzie	11 October 1925	29 October 1925
Camille Chautemps	29 October 1925	28 November 1925
René Renoult	28 November 1925	9 March 1926
Pierre Laval	9 March 1926	19 July 1926
Maurice Colrat	19 July 1926	23 July 1926
Louis Barthou	23 July 1926	3 November 1929
Lucien Hubert	3 November 1929	21 February 1930
Théodore Steeg	21 February 1930	2 March 1930
Raoul Péret	2 March 1930	17 November 1930
Henry Chéron	17 November 1930	27 January 1931
Léon Bérard	27 January 1931	20 February 1932
Paul Reynaud	20 February 1932	3 June 1932
René Renoult	3 June 1932	18 December 1932
Abel Gardey	18 December 1932	31 January 1933
Eugène Penancier	31 January 1933	26 October 1933
Albert Dalimier	26 October 1933	26 November 1933
Eugène Raynaldy	26 November 1933	27 January 1934
Eugène Penancier	27 January 1934	9 February 1934
Henry Chéron	9 February 1934	15 October 1934
Henry Lémery	15 October 1934	8 November 1934
Georges Pernot	8 November 1934	7 June 1935
Léon Bérard	7 June 1935	4 June 1936
Marc Rucart	4 June 1936	22 June 1937
Vincent Auriol	22 June 1937	18 January 1938
César Campinchi	18 January 1938	13 March 1938
Marc Rucart	13 March 1938	10 April 1938
Paul Reynaud	10 April 1938	1 November 1938
Paul Marchandeau	1 November 1938	13 September 1939
Georges Bonnet	13 September 1939	21 March 1940
Albert Sérol	21 March 1940	16 June 1940
Charles Frémicourt	16 June 1940	12 July 1940
Raphaël Alibert	12 July 1940	27 January 1941
Joseph Barthélemy	27 January 1941	26 March 1943
Maurice Gabolde	26 March 1943	20 August 1944

Free French Commissioners for Justice, 1941-1944

'Commissioner'	'Began'	'Ended'
René Cassin	24 September 1941	7 June 1943
Jules Abadie	7 June 1943	4 September 1943
François de Menthon	4 September 1943	10 September 1944

Ministers of Justice, 1944-present

'Minister'	'Began'	'Ended'
François de Menthon	10 September 1944	30 May 1945
Pierre-Henri Teitgen	30 May 1945	18 December 1946
Paul Ramadier	18 December 1946	22 January 1947
André Marie	22 January 1947	26 July 1948
Robert Lecourt	26 July 1948	11 September 1948
André Marie	11 September 1948	13 February 1949
Robert Lecourt	13 February 1949	28 October 1949
René Mayer	28 October 1949	11 August 1951
Edgar Faure	11 August 1951	20 January 1952
Léon Martinaud-Deplat	20 January 1952	28 June 1953
Paul Ribeyre	28 June 1953	19 June 1954
Émile Hugues	19 June 1954	3 September 1954
Jean-Michel Guérin de Beaumont	3 September 1954	20 January 1955
Emmanuel Temple	20 January 1955	23 February 1955
Robert Schuman	23 February 1955	1 February 1956
François Mitterrand	1 February 1956	13 June 1957
Édouard Corniglion-Molinier	13 June 1957	6 November 1957
Robert Lecourt	6 November 1957	1 June 1958
Michel Debré	1 June 1958	8 January 1959
Edmond Michelet	8 January 1959	24 August 1961
Bernard Chenot	24 August 1961	15 April 1962
Jean Foyer	15 April 1962	6 April 1967
Louis Joxe	6 April 1967	30 May 1968
René Capitant	30 May 1968	28 April 1969
Jean-Marcel Jeanneney	28 April 1969	22 June 1969
René Pleven	22 June 1969	16 March 1973
Pierre Messmer	16 March 1973	6 April 1973
Jean Taittinger	6 April 1973	28 May 1974
Jean Lecanuet	28 May 1974	27 August 1976
Olivier Guichard	27 August 1976	30 March 1977
Alain Peyrefitte	30 March 1977	22 May 1981
Maurice Faure	22 May 1981	23 June 1981
Robert Badinter	23 June 1981	19 February 1986
Michel Crépeau	19 February 1986	20 March 1986
Albin Chalandon	20 March 1986	12 May 1988
Pierre Arpaillange	12 May 1988	2 October 1990
Henri Nallet	2 October 1990	2 April 1992
Michel Vauzelle	2 April 1992	29 March 1993
Pierre Méhaignerie	29 March 1993	18 May 1995
Jacques Toubon	18 May 1995	4 June 1997
Elisabeth Guigou	4 June 1997	18 October 2000
Marylise Lebranchu	18 October 2000	7 May 2002
Dominique Perben	7 May 2002	2 June 2005
Pascal Clément	2 June 2005	18 May 2005
Rachida Dati	18 May 2007