Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §27.3.20.pr-27.3.20.1

Beneficial Actions and Assignment Following Restitution of Curators

Passage 4014 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

If a minor heir of one curator is granted restitution, an adult plaintiff cannot restart a regular lawsuit against the other curator, but is granted a beneficial action on grounds of equity. Furthermore, a restitutionary action against a guardian who was condemned in a smaller sum is not invalidated by the curators' condemnation, and the curators, if they have not yet satisfied the judgment, can claim the assignment of that action through an exception of fraud.

[PAPINIANUS libro secundo responsorum. ] §27.3.20.prAlterius curatoris heredem minorem ut maiore pecunia condemnatum in integrum restitui placuit.
[PAPINIAN, Opinions, Book 2] It was held that the minor heir of the other curator should be restored to his original condition as having been condemned in a larger sum of money.
ea res materiam litis aduersus alterum curatorem instaurandae non dabit quasi minore pecunia condemnatum, si non sit eius aetatis actor, cui subueniri debeat: sed aequitatis ratione suadente per utilem actionem ei subueniri, in quantum alter releuatus est, oportet.
This fact will not give ground for initiating a lawsuit against the other curator as if he had been condemned in a smaller sum, if the plaintiff is not of that age which ought to be relieved; but since the principle of equity so persuades, he ought to be relieved by a beneficial action to the extent that the other has been discharged.
§27.3.20.1Non idcirco actio, quae post uiginti quinque annos aetatis intra restitutionis tempus aduersus tutorem minore pecunia tutelae iudicio condemnatum redditur, inutilis erit, quod adulescenti curatores ob eam culpam condemnati sunt: itaque si non iudicatum a curatoribus factum est, per doli exceptionem curatores consequi poterunt eam actionem praestari sibi.
An action which, after twenty-five years of age and within the time for restitution, is granted against a guardian who was condemned in a smaller sum in the guardianship trial, will not be useless for the reason that the curators were condemned to the youth because of that fault; therefore, if the judgment has not been satisfied by the curators, they will be able to obtain, by means of an exception of fraud, that the said action be made over to them.

Notes

  1. §27.3.20.prei — Interpretation of the reference of the pronoun ei. It refers to the preceding actor (plaintiff). Since the restitution granted to the heir of one curator reduces the amount the plaintiff can recover, the plaintiff is granted relief through a beneficial action (utilis actio) on the basis of equity.
  2. §27.3.20.1iudicatum a curatoribus factum est — The phrase iudicatum facere is a legal idiom meaning "to satisfy the judgment" (to perform the obligation ordered by the court). Here, it refers to the situation where the curators have not yet paid the amount ordered by the judgment.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §27.3.20.pr-27.3.20.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:27.3.20.pr-27.3.20.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.