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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §11.6.3.pr-11.6.3.6

Standing and Liability in Actions for False Measurement

Passage 1799 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian discusses the action against a surveyor for false reporting, covering joint liability of multiple surveyors, the standing of the plaintiff, subsidiary liability in case of the contracting party's insolvency, the liability of a surveyor employed in a trial, and the application of this action to heirs and slaves.

[ULPIANUS libro uicensimo quarto ad edictum. ] §11.6.3.prSi duobus mandauero et ambo dolose fecerint, aduersus singulos in solidum agi poterit, sed altero conuento, si satisfecerit, in alterum actionem denegari oportebit.
[ULPIAN, from the twenty-fourth book on the Edict.] If I commission two persons and both act with bad faith, an action can be brought against each of them for the whole amount; but if one has been sued and has made satisfaction, the action against the other must be denied.
§11.6.3.1Competit autem haec actio ei, cuius interfuit falsum modum renuntiatum non esse, hoc est uel emptori uel uenditori, cui renuntiatio offuit.
This action is available to the person who had an interest in the false measurement not being reported, that is, to either the buyer or the seller whom the report harmed.
§11.6.3.2Pomponius tamen scribit, si emptor plus dederit propter renuntiationem, quia condicre potest quod plum dedit, agi cum mensore non posse: nihil enim emptoris interesse, cum possit condicere: nisi soluendo uenditor non fuit: tunc enim mensor tenebitur.
Pomponius, however, writes that if the buyer paid more on account of the report, because he can bring an action for recovery of what he paid in excess, an action cannot be brought against the surveyor; for it is of no interest to the buyer when he can bring an action for recovery; unless the seller was insolvent, for then the surveyor will be held liable.
§11.6.3.3Sed si uenditor maiorem modum tradiderit fraudatus a mensore, consequenter dicit Pomponius non esse actionem aduersus mensorem, quia est ex uendito actio aduersus emptorem, nisi et hic emptor soluendo non sit.
But if the seller, having been defrauded by the surveyor, delivered a larger measure, Pomponius consequently says that there is no action against the surveyor, because there is an action from sale against the buyer, unless this buyer also is insolvent.
§11.6.3.4Idem Pomponius scribit, si propter iudicium adhibitus mensor fraudauerit me in renuntiatione, teneri eum, si ob hoc de iudicio minus tuli: plane si a iudice adhibitus contra me renuntiauerit dolo malo, dubitat, an teneri mihi debeat? quod magis admittit.
The same Pomponius writes that if a surveyor employed for the purpose of a trial defrauded me in his report, and if because of this I recovered less from the trial, he is held liable; clearly, if a surveyor employed by the judge reported against me with bad faith, he doubts whether he ought to be held liable to me, but he rather admits this.
§11.6.3.5Hanc actionem heredi similibusque personis dandam Pomponius scribit: sed in heredem similesque personas denegandam ait.
Pomponius writes that this action should be granted to the heir and similar persons, but should be denied against the heir and similar persons.
§11.6.3.6Serui autem nomine magis noxale quam de peculio competere ait, quamuis ciuilis actio de peculio competat.
On account of a slave, however, he says that a noxal action is available rather than an action concerning the peculium, although a civil action concerning the peculium is available.

Notes

  1. 11.6.3.1cuius interfuit falsum modum renuntiatum non esse — In the construction of the impersonal verb `interesse`, the person who has an interest is represented by the genitive `cuius`, and the subject of interest is expressed by the accusative and infinitive clause `falsum modum renuntiatum non esse` ('that a false measurement was not reported').
  2. 11.6.3.2nihil enim emptoris interesse — An accusative and infinitive construction (indirect speech) continuing from the governing verb `Pomponius tamen scribit` in the previous clause. `nihil` functions as the subject or adverbial accusative, and `emptoris` is the genitive of interest modifying `interesse`.
  3. 11.6.3.2soluendo uenditor non fuit — `soluendo` is a dative of purpose of the gerundive representing the capacity to pay, forming an idiomatic expression with the verb `esse` (here in the perfect `fuit`) to mean 'to be solvent' (literally, 'to be for paying').
  4. 11.6.3.5in heredem similesque personas denegandam ait — The preposition `in` with the accusative (`heredem`) indicates the defendant against whom the action is brought (i.e., 'against'). It shows the denial of passive transmission of the action against the heirs.
  5. 11.6.3.6Serui autem nomine magis noxale quam de peculio competere ait — `Serui nomine` means 'on account of a slave' (concerning the slave's liability). `noxale` refers to `noxale iudicium` (noxal action), and `de peculio` refers to `actio de peculio` (action concerning the peculium), both of which function as subjects of the infinitive `competere`.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §11.6.3.pr-11.6.3.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:11.6.3.pr-11.6.3.6

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