Legal Definitions - exposition de part

Exposition de part is a term from French law that refers to the act of abandoning a child who is unable to care for themselves, regardless of whether this abandonment occurs in a public or private place.

Here are some examples to illustrate this legal concept:

• Example 1: A newborn baby is discovered wrapped in a blanket and left on the doorstep of a church in a small French village. The parents cannot be identified, and the infant is clearly incapable of self-preservation.

  Explanation: This situation exemplifies "exposition de part" because an infant, being entirely dependent, was abandoned in a public location (the church doorstep) and was unable to care for itself.

• Example 2: A three-year-old child is found alone and unsupervised in an apartment in Paris after their guardians have moved out, leaving the child behind without making any provisions for their ongoing care.

  Explanation: This scenario illustrates "exposition de part" as a young child, incapable of self-care, was abandoned in a private setting (the apartment) by those responsible for them.

• Example 3: An eight-year-old child with severe physical disabilities, who requires constant assistance for basic needs and mobility, is left unattended in a busy train station in Lyon, with no guardian returning to claim them over several hours.

  Explanation: This demonstrates "exposition de part" because despite the child's age, their severe disabilities render them completely unable to care for themselves, and they were abandoned in a public place (the train station).