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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §26.7.21.pr

Paternal Liability for a Son-in-Power's Tutelage

Passage 3856 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The jurist discusses the scope of liability of a pater familias after the death of his son-in-power, who had administered a guardianship with the father's consent, examining whether liability is limited to the peculium or extends to the whole sum.

[MARCELLUS libro singulari responsorum. ]
[MARCELLUS in his single book of Opinions.] Lucius Titius appointed Gaius Seius, a filius familias, as tutor to his son by testament.
§26.7.21.prLucius Titius Gaium Seium filium familias testamento filio suo tutorem dedit: Gaius Seius sciente et consentiente patre tutelam administrauit: quaero, an defuncto Gaio Seio actio tutelae aduersus patrem eius et in quantum competat.
Gaius Seius administered the tutelage with the knowledge and consent of his father. I ask whether, upon the death of Gaius Seius, the action of tutelage lies against his father, and to what extent.
Marcellus respondit secundum ea quae proposita essent actione de peculio et de in rem uerso patrem teneri: nec multum uideri in hoc casu facere patris scientiam et consensum ad obligandum eum in solidum, nisi forte contutore uel alio quo uolente eum facere suspectum intercessit et quasi in se periculum recepit.
Marcellus replied that, according to the facts proposed, the father is liable under the action concerning peculium and concerning what has been turned to his profit; and that, in this case, the father's knowledge and consent do not seem to do much to make him liable for the whole sum, unless perhaps, when a co-tutor or someone else wished to declare him suspect, the father intervened and, as it were, took the risk upon himself.

Notes

  1. §26.7.21.prfilium familias — Refers to a 'son-in-power' (filius familias) under the authority of a pater familias. In Roman law, a filius familias did not have full proprietary capacity, and liabilities arising from his acts were subject to special rules of agency/liability (actiones adiecticiae qualitatis) regarding the pater familias.
  2. §26.7.21.practione de peculio et de in rem uerso — The 'action concerning peculium' (actio de peculio) and 'action concerning what has been turned to profit' (actio de in rem verso). These are actions with addition quality (actiones adiecticiae qualitatis) by which a pater familias could be held liable for debts contracted by a filius familias, limited to the value of the peculium or to the extent of the enrichment of the father's estate.
  3. §26.7.21.prfacere suspectum — Literally 'to make suspect.' This refers to the accusation of a suspect tutor (accusatio suspecti tutoris), a legal procedure in Roman law to remove a tutor from office due to misconduct, untrustworthiness, or gross negligence.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §26.7.21.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:26.7.21.pr

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