Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §27.8.4.pr

Secondary Liability of the Heirs of Magistrates

Passage 4054 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains the liability of the heirs of magistrates, noting that unlike the magistrates themselves who bear all risks, their heirs are only secondarily liable for fraud or negligence closest to fraud, similarly to the heirs of tutors.

[ULPIANUS libro tertio disputationum. ] §27.8.4.prNon similiter tenentur heredes magituum, ut ipsi tenentur: nam nec heres tutoris neglegentiae nomine tenetur.
[ULPIAN, in the third book of Disputations.] The heirs of magistrates are not held liable in the same way as the magistrates themselves are held liable; for neither is the heir of a tutor held liable on account of negligence.
nam magistratus quidem in omne periculum succedit, heres ipsius dolo proximae culpae succedaneus est.
For while the magistrate himself succeeds to every risk, his heir is liable as a substitute only for fraud or fault closest to it.

Notes

  1. 27.8.4.prmagituum — The word magituum in the manuscripts is understood as a clerical error or abbreviation for magistratuum (of the magistrates, genitive plural).
  2. 27.8.4.prdolo proximae culpae — These function as coordinate dative terms (or a dative with a modifying genitive) and are construed as dolo [et] proximae culpae, meaning 'for fraud and negligence closest to it (gross negligence)'. They are governed by the adjective succedaneus (acting as a substitute for, liable for).
  3. 27.8.4.prsuccedaneus est — The adjective succedaneus means 'substituting' or 'secondarily liable'. It stands in contrast with the magistrate himself, who 'succeeds to (succedit)' all risks primary, indicating that the heir only steps into liability secondarily for specific faults (fraud and gross negligence).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §27.8.4.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:27.8.4.pr

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