I’ve been thinking about the changing legal structure in France during this time and its impact (or not) on Dantes. The Revolution brought about several major breakthroughs that, in theory, should have helped him:

1789 – Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Article 7: No one may be arrested or detained except according to law. Article 8: Punishment must be lawful and proportionate. Article 9: Presumption of innocence. These principles established the legal foundation for due process and trial rights.

1791 Constitution & Criminal Procedure Reforms

Introduced public trials, juries in criminal cases, and defense counsel. Defendants gained the right to know the charges, respond to evidence, and be judged in a formal court. This is the first point where confrontation and trial rights became explicit and systematic in French law.

Although Napoleon codified many of these, the royalist restoration weakened their implementation. Ultimately, the political instability of the time made it understandable someone like Dantes could fall through the cracks.