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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §29.4.11.pr

Duplicate Bequests and Legatee's Option Between Heirs

Passage 4525 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains that if the same thing is bequeathed by both the instituted and the substitute heir who hold the inheritance on intestacy, the legatee cannot demand it from one after obtaining it from the other, but has the right to choose whom to sue.

[IAUOLENUS libro septimo epistularum. ] §29.4.11.prSi ab instituto et substituto eadem res mihi legata sit et omissa causa testamenti hereditatem possideant lege, etiamsi ab utroque solidum mihi debetur, tamen ab uno legatum consecutus ab altero petere non potero: eligere itaque reum potero.
[JAVOLENUS in the seventh book of his Epistles] If the same thing has been bequeathed to me by both the instituted and the substitute heir, and they possess the inheritance by law, having rejected the cause of the will, even if the whole is owed to me by both, nevertheless, having obtained the legacy from one, I shall not be able to seek it from the other: therefore, I shall be able to choose the defendant.

Notes

  1. §29.4.11.promissa causa testamenti — omissa causa is an ablative absolute phrase with the participle agreeing with the noun in the feminine singular, accompanied by the genitive testamenti, meaning "the cause of the will having been rejected."
  2. §29.4.11.prlege — Meaning "by law". In contrast to succession under a will (ex testamento), it refers to the possession and acquisition of the inheritance on intestacy (ab intestato) based on the provisions of the law.
  3. §29.4.11.prconsecutus — Perfect participle (masculine singular nominative) of the deponent verb consequor. It agrees with the implied subject of the main clause (first-person singular, indicated by non potero) and is used with an active meaning ("having obtained").

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §29.4.11.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:29.4.11.pr

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