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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §35.2.1.10-35.2.1.19

Calculation of Legacies and Deductions under the Lex Falcidia

Passage 5446 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Paulus explains the specific calculation methods under the Lex Falcidia concerning legacies of debt to a creditor, the substitution of co-heirs, cases of merger and natural obligations, and whether the expenses for a monument can be deducted from the inheritance.

[PAULUS libro singulari ad legem Falcidiam. ] §35.2.1.10Si quis creditori suo quod debet legauerit, aut inutile legatum erit, si nullum commodum in eo uersabitur, aut si (propter repraesentationis puta commodum) utile erit, lex quoque Falcidia in eo commodo locum habebit.
If anyone bequeaths to his creditor what he owes him, either the legacy will be useless if no advantage is involved in it, or if it is useful (for example, on account of the advantage of immediate payment), the Lex Falcidia also will apply to that advantage.
§35.2.1.11Si legatarius possessionem nanctus est et non potest auocari ei res, quia uoluntate heredis errantis nactus est possessionem, dabitur actio heredi, ut id quod supra dodrantem est offeratur.
If a legatee has obtained possession and the thing cannot be taken away from him, because he obtained possession with the consent of an heir who was in error, an action will be given to the heir so that what is above three-quarters may be offered to him.
§35.2.1.12Interdum omnimodo necessarium est solidum solui legatario interposita stipulatione ‘quanto amplius, quam per legem Falcidiam ceperit, reddi': ueluti si quae a pupillo legata sint non excedant modum legis Falcidiae, ueremur autem, ne impubere eo mortuo alia legata inueniantur, quae contributione facta excedant dodrantem.
Sometimes it is absolutely necessary that the whole amount be paid to the legatee, with the introduction of a stipulation 'that whatever more is received than what he should take under the Lex Falcidia shall be returned': as, for instance, if the things bequeathed by a pupillus do not exceed the limit of the Lex Falcidia, but we fear lest, if he dies before puberty, other legacies may be found which, when contribution is made, would exceed three-quarters.
idem dicitur et si principali testamento quaedam sub condicione legata sunt, quae an debeantur incertum est.
The same is said also if in the principal testament certain things are bequeathed under a condition, and it is uncertain whether they are due.
et ideo, si heres sine iudice soluere paratus sit, prospiciet sibi per hanc stipulationem.
And therefore, if the heir is ready to pay without a judge, he will protect himself by this stipulation.
§35.2.1.13Id, quod ex substitutione coheredis ad coheredem peruenit, proficit legatariis: is enim similis est heres ex parte pure, ex parte sub condicione heredi instituto.
What comes to a co-heir from the substitution of a co-heir benefits the legatees: for such an heir is like one instituted heir unconditionally for one part, and conditionally for another.
sed ea, quae ab eo legata sunt, sia omiserit hereditatem, non augebuntur, scilicet si ab eo nominatim data sunt, non 'quisquis mihi heres erit'.
But the legacies given by him, if he rejects the inheritance, will not be increased, namely, if they were given by him by name, and not as 'whoever shall be my heir'.
§35.2.1.14Si coheredis mei portio exhausta sit, mea integra et illam uindicauero, Cassius confundendas esse partes existimat, Proculus contra: in qua specie et Iulianus Proculo adsensit, quam sententiam probabiliorem esse puto.
If the share of my co-heir is exhausted, and mine is intact, and I claim that share, Cassius thinks that the shares should be merged, Proculus is of the contrary opinion; in which case Julian also agreed with Proculus, which opinion I think is more probable.
sed et diuus Antoninus iudicasse dicitur commiscendas esse utrasque partes in computatione legis Falcidiae.
But the divine Antoninus also is said to have decided that both shares should be mixed together in the calculation of the Lex Falcidia.
§35.2.1.15Si coheredem meum post aditam hereditatem adrogauero, non dubitabitur, quin separandae sint portiones, perinde atque si coheredi meo heres exstitissem.
If I arrogate my co-heir after the acceptance of the inheritance, there will be no doubt but that the shares must be kept separate, just as if I had become the heir to my co-heir.
§35.2.1.16Si in annos singulos legatum sit Titio, quia multa legata et condicionalia sunt, cautioni locus est quae in edicto proponitur quanto amplius accipit reddi.
If a legacy is left to Titius for each year, because there are many and conditional legacies, there is room for the security which is proposed in the edict, that whatever more is received shall be returned.
§35.2.1.17Id, quod natura hereditati debetur et peti quidem non potest, solutum uero non repetitur, non esse computandum in hereditate quidam putant.
Some think that what is owed by nature to the inheritance and indeed cannot be sued for, but if paid cannot be recovered, should not be computed in the inheritance.
sed Iulianus et haec ex euentu augere patrimonium aut non augere existimat et hereditario iure id quoque capi ideoque et in restitutionem hereditatis uenturum.
But Julian thinks that these things also, depending on the outcome, increase or do not increase the patrimony, and that this also is taken by hereditary right, and therefore will also come into the restitution of the inheritance.
§35.2.1.18Si debitor creditori heres existat, quamuis confusione liberetur, tamen locupletiorem hereditatem percipere uidetur, ut computetur ei quod debet, quamuis aditione confusum sit.
If a debtor becomes the heir of his creditor, although he is released by merger, he is nevertheless considered to receive a richer inheritance, so that what he owes is computed for him, although it was merged by the acceptance of the inheritance.
§35.2.1.19De impensa monumenti nomine facta quaeritur, an deduci debeat.
Concerning the expense incurred under the name of a monument, it is asked whether it ought to be deducted.
et Sabinus ita deducendum putat, si necessarium fuerit monumentum extruere.
And Sabinus thinks it should be deducted only if it was necessary to build the monument.
Marcellus consultus, an funeris monumentique impensa, quantam testator fieri iussit, in aere alieno deduci debeat, respondit non amplius eo nomine, quam quod funeris causa consumptum est, deducendum.
Marcellus, when consulted as to whether the expense of a funeral and a monument, as much as the testator ordered to be incurred, ought to be deducted as a debt, replied that nothing more should be deducted under that name than what was spent for the sake of the funeral.
nam eius, quod in extructionem monumenti erogatum est, diuersam esse causam: nec enim ita monumenti aedificationem necessariam esse, ut sit funus ac sepultura.
For the case of that which was expended on the construction of a monument is different; since the building of a monument is not as necessary as a funeral and burial.
id circo eum, cui pecunia ad faciendum monumentum legata sit, Falcidiam passurum.
Therefore, he to whom money has been bequeathed for making a monument will suffer the Falcidian deduction.

Notes

  1. 35.2.1.10quod debet — A legacy of what is owed to a creditor (legatum debiti) is generally void (inutile) if it offers no real benefit to the legatee. However, if there is some advantage (commodum), such as accelerated payment (repraesentatio), it becomes valid, and only the value of that advantage is computed under the Lex Falcidia.
  2. 35.2.1.11ut id quod supra dodrantem est offeratur — An `ut` clause expressing the purpose of the action given to the heir (`dabitur actio heredi`) or the performance to be achieved by it. It indicates that the action is aimed at reclaiming the excess above the three-quarters limit under the Lex Falcidia which was obtained by mistake.
  3. 35.2.1.12quanto amplius, quam per legem Falcidiam ceperit, reddi — An infinitive clause (accusative with infinitive structure without an explicit subject accusative for the whole phrase, or with `quanto amplius` functioning as the subject of `reddi`) explaining the content of the `stipulatio` (verbal contract). It represents the formula of the promise: 'that whatever more than he should take under the Lex Falcidia be returned'.
  4. 35.2.1.17natura hereditati debetur — Refers to a 'natural obligation' (obligatio naturalis) which cannot be legally enforced by an action, but once paid voluntarily, cannot be recovered. Julian argues that since this also increases the estate as a matter of fact (`ex euentu`), it must be computed in the valuation and included in the restitution of the inheritance.
  5. 35.2.1.18confusione liberetur — Refers to 'merger' (confusio), where a debt is extinguished because the creditor and debtor become the same person through inheritance. Although legally released, the value of the debt is still computed as part of the inheritance under the Lex Falcidia to accurately reflect the enrichment of the heir.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §35.2.1.10-35.2.1.19. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:35.2.1.10-35.2.1.19

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