Chapter Second: Alternative Obligations

Article 54

Article 54 - There is conjunctive obligation when the obligation has as its object a performance comprising several things which are owed cumulatively, in such a way that the debtor cannot be discharged unless he provides all of them.

Article 55

Article 55 - The conjunctive obligation is governed by the provisions relating to the simple obligation.

Article 56

Article 56 - There is alternative obligation when the obligation has as its object multiple performances, but the debtor is fully discharged by providing only one of them. Unless otherwise agreed, it is up to the sole debtor to choose this one.

Article 57

Article 57 - The choice is made by a simple declaration to the other party. As soon as the choice is made, the obligation is deemed to have had, from the outset, only the chosen performance.

Article 58

Article 58 - However, when it comes to periodic performances involving alternative objects, a choice made at one point in time does not prevent the beneficiary from making a different choice at another point in time, unless the contrary is established by the constitutive title, the probable intention of the parties, or prevailing customs.

Article 59

Article 59 - If the party that had the option to choose dies before making a choice, the right of option is transmitted to its heirs. If it falls into declared insolvency, the choice belongs to the creditors' mass. If the heirs or creditors cannot agree, the other party may have them served with a deadline; if this deadline expires, the choice belongs to that party.

Article 60

Article 60 - The debtor is released by performing one of the promised performances; however, he cannot force the creditor to accept a part of one and a part of another. The creditor has the right only to the complete performance of one of the performances, but he cannot force the debtor to execute a part of one and a part of another.

Article 61

Article 61 - If only one of the performances is capable of execution, the obligation becomes purely and simply executory.

Article 62

Article 62 - The alternative obligation is extinguished if all the performances that are its object become impossible at the same time without the debtor's fault and before a demand is made.

Article 63

Article 63 - If the performances that are the subject of the obligation become impossible at the same time, either due to the debtor's fault or after a demand for performance has been made, the creditor may request the price of one or the other at their choice.

Article 64

Article 64 - If the debtor refuses to make a choice or, in case of multiple debtors, if they do not agree on the choice to be made, the creditor may request the judge to impose a deadline for this purpose and to designate the thing to be provided if they fail to make a choice within that deadline.

Article 65

Article 65 - When the choice belongs to the creditor and it is up to him to make it, the other party may request that he be given a reasonable period of time to decide, if this period expires without the creditor having made his choice, the choice then belongs to the debtor.

Article 66

Article 66 - If, in the case referred to in the preceding article, one of the performances that are the subject of the obligation becomes impossible due to the debtor's fault or after his default, the creditor may demand the still possible performance or the corresponding indemnity for the damage resulting from the impossibility of executing the other.

Article 67

Article 67: If one of the performances included in the obligation becomes impossible due to the debtor's fault, he shall be deemed to have chosen that object and may no longer request the remaining one.

Article 68

Article 68 - There is an optional obligation when only one performance is due, but the debtor can discharge by providing another performance. The performance owed, and not that by which the debtor has the option to discharge, is from a legal standpoint the object of the obligation and determines its nature.

Article 69

Article 69 - The optional obligation ceases if the thing that is its object perishes without the debtor's fault before the creditor was put on notice, but it survives the loss of the thing whose surrender was optional.