Pierre François Hercule, comte de Serre (12 March 1776 – 21 July 1824) was a French soldier, lawyer and politician.

Hercule de Serre was destined for a career in the army, and studied at the School of Artillery at Chalons-sur-Marne.

Napoleon appointed him Advocate General of Metz on 23 February 1811, then first president of the Imperial Court of Hamburg on 14 July 1811.

[1] Hercule de Serre supported the Bourbon Restoration, and was appointed First President of the Court of Colmar in January 1815.

He tended to favor direct elections, but opposed the requirement to reelect members appointed to permanent offices, and approved the suspension of individual liberty.

[3] After agreement with Royer-Collard and the main Doctrinaires, he presented three new press laws establishing freedom from prior censorship, the competence of the jury even for minor offenses, and the admission of testimonial proof against officials.

On the other hand, he alienated liberal opinion when he said that the Charter of 1814 applied to voters; temporary exiles could still hope to return to France; but regicides never.

[5] After a stay in Nice to recover his health, at the end in April 1820 he resumed the struggle against the opponents of the proposed electoral law.

He resumed his place in the Chamber on the center-right, and spoke in favor of the jurisdiction of juries in press trials.