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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §1.18.9.pr

Imperial Referrals and the Governor's Lack of Duty to Hear

Passage 211 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Callistratus explains that whenever the emperor refers cases to provincial governors, regardless of whether a specific clause about their duty is added, no obligation to investigate is imposed on them, and they retain the discretion to hear the case themselves or appoint a judge.

[CALLISTRATUS libro primo de cognitionibus. ] §1.18.9.prGeneraliter quotiens princeps ad praesides prouinciarum remittit negotia per rescriptiones, ueluti 'eum qui prouinciae praeest adire poteris' uel cum hac adiectione 'is aestimabit, quid sit partium suarum', non imponitur necessitas proconsuli uel legato suscipiendae cognitionis, quamuis non sit adiectum iectum 'is aestimabit quid sit partium suarum': sed is aestimare debet, utrum ipse cognoscat an iudicem dare debeat.
[CALLISTRATUS, in the first book on extraordinary investigations.] In general, whenever the emperor refers cases to the governors of provinces by rescripts, such as 'you will be able to approach the person who is in charge of the province,' or with this addition, 'he shall evaluate what is consistent with his duty,' no necessity of undertaking the investigation is imposed upon a proconsul or a legate, even if 'he shall evaluate what is consistent with his duty' has not been added: but he ought to evaluate whether he himself should investigate or whether he should appoint a judge.

Notes

  1. 1.18.9.pradiectum iectum — A dittography in the manuscript. It should be understood practically as a single word adiectum (neuter singular perfect passive participle), functioning in the impersonal passive construction non sit adiectum.
  2. 1.18.9.prquid sit partium suarum — The phrase partium suarum is a possessive genitive expressing duty or role. Together with sit (third-person singular present subjunctive), it forms an indirect question clause meaning 'what belongs to his duty' or 'what is consistent with his role'.
  3. 1.18.9.prsuscipiendae cognitionis — A gerundive construction in the genitive case modifying necessitas (nominative), meaning 'the necessity of undertaking the investigation'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §1.18.9.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:1.18.9.pr

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