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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §37.8.4.pr

Possession of Goods by Retained Grandchildren and Later Children

Passage 5801 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This text discusses the joint petition for the possession of goods between grandsons retained under paternal power and children born after emancipation, and the conditions (collation or emancipation) under which the grandfather may acquire the inheritance through them.

[MODESTINUS libro sexto pandectarum. ] §37.8.4.prEmancipato quis filio retinuit ex eo nepotes in potestate: filius emancipatus susceptis postea liberis decessit.
[MODESTINUS in the sixth book of the Pandects.] A certain man, having emancipated his son, retained the grandsons born of him in his power; the emancipated son, having subsequently begotten children, died.
placuit in aui potestate manentes simul cum his, qui post emancipationem nati sunt, decreto bonorum possessionem accipere, manente eo, ut, si uelit auus sibi per nepotes adquiri, bona sua conferat aut nepotes emancipet, ut sibi emolumentum paternae hereditatis adquirant: idque ita diuus Marcus rescripsit.
It was held that those remaining in the power of the grandfather should receive the possession of goods by decree together with those who were born after the emancipation, on the condition remaining that, if the grandfather wishes acquisition to be made for himself through the grandsons, he must either collate his own goods or emancipate the grandsons, so that they may acquire the benefit of their father's inheritance for themselves. And the Divine Marcus replied by rescript to this effect.

Notes

  1. 37.8.4.prdecreto — Refers to the "possession of goods by decree" granted on the basis of a magistrate's discretionary decision (decretum) in specific cases, as opposed to the standard possession "under the edict" (ex edicto).
  2. 37.8.4.prmanente eo, ut — manente eo is an ablative absolute construction, with the ut clause serving as an appositive clause explaining the content of eo ("on the condition remaining that...").
  3. 37.8.4.prsibi per nepotes adquiri — adquiri is a passive infinitive meaning "to be acquired" (with the benefit of the inheritance understood as the subject). It reflects the Roman law principle that property acquired by descendants under paternal power (potestas) automatically accrues (adquirere) to the head of the household (the grandfather, sibi).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §37.8.4.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:37.8.4.pr

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