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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §4.4.9.pr-4.4.9.6

Restitution for Minors in Executions and Delicts

Passage 711 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian discusses the criteria for granting restoration (in integrum restitutio) to minors in various situations, such as judicial execution of pledges, delicts, divorce, self-enslavement, customs forfeiture, and the status of freedom.

[ULPIANUS libro undecimo ad edictum. ] §4.4.9.prSi ex causa iudicati pignora minoris capta sint et distracta, mox restitutus sit aduersus sententiam praesidis uel procuratoris Caesaris, uidendum, an ea reuocari debeant, quae distracta sunt: nam illud certum est pecuniam ex causa iudicati solutam ei restituendam.
[ULPIANUS in the eleventh book on the Edict.] If, on the ground of a judgment, the pledges of a minor have been taken and sold, and he has soon after been restored against the sentence of the governor or the procurator of Caesar, it must be considered whether those things which have been sold ought to be recovered; for this is certain, that the money paid on the ground of the judgment must be restored to him.
sed interest ipsius corpora potius habere: et puto interdum permittendum, id est si grande damnum sit minoris.
But it is to his interest rather to have the things themselves; and I think that this should sometimes be permitted, that is, if there is a great loss to the minor.
§4.4.9.1In dotis quoque modo mulieri subuenitur, si ultra uires patrimonii uel totum patrimonium circumscripta in dotem dedit.
In the matter of a dowry also, a woman is succoured if, being deceived, she has given in dowry more than her patrimony can bear, or her whole patrimony.
§4.4.9.2Nunc uidendum minoribus utrum in contractibus captis dumtaxat subueniatur, an etiam delinquentibus: ut puta dolo aliquid minor fecit in re deposita uel commodata uel alias in contractu, an ei subueniatur, si nihil ad eum peruenit? et placet in delictis minoribus non subueniri.
Now we must see whether minors are succoured only when they have been deceived in contracts, or also when they commit delicts; as, for example, if a minor has done something with fraud in regard to a thing deposited or lent for use, or otherwise in a contract, is he to be succoured if nothing has come to him? And it is held that in delicts minors are not succoured.
nec hic itaque subuenietur.
Therefore, they shall not be succoured here either.
nam et si furtum fecit uel damnum iniuria dedit, non ei subuenietur.
For even if he has committed theft or caused damage unlawfully, he will not be succoured.
sed si, cum ex damno dato confiteri possit ne dupli teneatur, maluit negare: in hoc solum restituendus sit, ut pro confesso habeatur.
But if, when he could have confessed regarding the damage caused so that he would not be held for double, he preferred to deny it: he should be restored in this point alone, that he be held as having confessed.
ergo et si potuit pro fure damnum decidere magis quam actionem dupli uel quadrupli pati, ei subuenietur.
Therefore, also if he could have settled the damage as a thief rather than suffer an action for double or fourfold, he will be succoured.
§4.4.9.3Si mulier, cum culpa diuertisset, uelit sibi subueniri, uel si maritus, puto restitutionem non habendam: est enim delictum non modicum.
If a woman, when she has divorced by her own fault, wishes to be succoured, or if a husband does, I think that restoration should not be granted; for it is no small delict.
nam et si adulterium minor commisit, ei non subuenitur.
For even if a minor has committed adultery, he is not succoured.
§4.4.9.4Papinianus ait, si maior annis uiginti minor uiginti quinque se in seruitutem uenire patiatur, id est si pretium participatus est, non solere restitui: sed hoc merito, quoniam res nec capit restitutionem cum statum mutat.
Papinian says that if a person over twenty years of age and under twenty-five permits himself to be sold into slavery, that is, if he shared in the price, it is not customary for him to be restored; but this is with good reason, because the matter does not admit of restoration when it changes status.
§4.4.9.5Si in commissum incidisse uectigalis dicatur, erit in integrum restitutio.
If he is said to have incurred forfeiture of a tax, there will be a restoration to his original condition.
quod sic erit accipiendum, si non dolus ipsorum interueniat: ceterum cessabit restitutio.
Which must be understood in this way, if their own fraud does not intervene; otherwise, restoration will cease.
§4.4.9.6Aduersus libertatem quoque minori a praetore subueniri impossibile est,
Against freedom also, it is impossible for a minor to be succoured by the praetor,

Notes

  1. §4.4.9.prrestitutus sit — A subjunctive perfect functioning within the condition introduced by 'Si', representing the hypothesis: 'if he has been restored (against the judgment).'
  2. §4.4.9.2ne dupli teneatur — A negative purpose clause ('ne' + present subjunctive 'teneatur'), meaning 'lest he be held liable for double.' 'Teneor' with the genitive 'dupli' means 'to be held liable for [the double amount].'
  3. §4.4.9.4maior annis uiginti — 'annis' is an ablative of comparison following the comparative 'maior', meaning 'older than twenty years'. The subsequent phrase 'minor uiginti quinque' shares the same construction, meaning 'younger than twenty-five'.
  4. §4.4.9.5in commissum incidisse uectigalis — 'in commissum incidere' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to incur forfeiture'. 'uectigalis' is the genitive singular of 'uectigal' (tax/customs), designating the 'forfeiture of a tax'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §4.4.9.pr-4.4.9.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:4.4.9.pr-4.4.9.6

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