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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §38.6.8.pr

Son-in-Power's Claim to Estate Possession as Cognate

Passage 6023 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Discusses that when a son-in-power, with his father's consent, applies for the possession of an estate as the nearest cognate, his application is deemed effective and does not violate the edict, even if he is excluded from the inheritance by a testamentary condition regarding his remaining in power.

[IDEM libro sexto responsorum. ] §38.6.8.prFilius familias ut proximus cognatus patre consentiente possessionem adgnouit: quamuis per condicionem testamento datam, quod in patris potestate manserit, ab hereditate sit exclusus, tamen utiliter possessionem adgnouisse uidebitur nec in edicti sententiam incidet, quoniam possessionem secundum tabulas non adgnouit, cum inde rem habere non poterit nec in filii potestate condicio fuerit nec facile pater emancipare filium cogi poterit.
[THE SAME in the sixth book of Opinions.] A son-in-power, as the nearest cognate, with his father’s consent, applied for possession of the estate. Although he is excluded from the inheritance by a condition imposed in the will—namely, that he remain under his father's power—nevertheless he will be deemed to have effectively applied for the possession, and he will not fall under the provision of the edict, since he did not apply for possession in accordance with the will, inasmuch as he could not obtain the property therefrom, nor was the condition within the son's power, nor could the father easily be compelled to emancipate his son.

Notes

  1. §38.6.8.prpossessionem adgnouit — possessionem refers to bonorum possessionem (possession of the estate under praetorian law), and adgnouit (adgnoscere) here means to "apply for" or "claim" the grant of such possession. It is distinguished from the acceptance of the civil law inheritance (hereditas).
  2. §38.6.8.prquod in patris potestate manserit — quod is an explanatory/appositive conjunction introducing a noun clause that expresses the specific content of the preceding condicionem (namely, that he remain under his father's power).
  3. §38.6.8.prutiliter — An adverb meaning "effectively" or "with legal effect" in a legal context, indicating that the action of the son-in-power is treated as legally valid.
  4. §38.6.8.prpossessionem secundum tabulas — Refers to "possession of the estate in accordance with the will" (bonorum possessio secundum tabulas) under praetorian law. It is explained that since he applied for possession based on kinship (bonorum possessio unde cognati) rather than under the will, he is not subject to the disadvantages associated with the failure or invalidity of the will.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §38.6.8.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:38.6.8.pr

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