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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §41.2.29.pr

Loss of Possession by a Pupil without Tutor Authority

Passage 6727 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains that a pupil can lose possession without their tutor's authority only through the loss of physical control (body), and not by a mental decision (mind) to abandon it.

[ULPIANUS libro trigensimo ad Sabinum. ] §41.2.29.prPossessionem pupillum sine tutoris auctoritate amittere posse constat, non ut animo, sed ut corpore desinat possidere: quod est enim facti, potest amittere.
[ULPIANUS, in the thirtieth book on Sabinus.] It is well established that a pupil can lose possession without the authority of their tutor, not so as to cease to possess in mind, but in body; for that which is a matter of fact, he is able to lose.
alia causa est, si forte animo possessionem uelit amittere: hoc enim non potest.
The case is different if he should happen to wish to lose possession in mind; for this he cannot do.

Notes

  1. §41.2.29.prnon ut animo, sed ut corpore desinat possidere — The subjunctive clauses introduced by ut specify the manner or qualifying condition under which the pupil 'can lose possession' (amittere posse). It contrasts the subjective element (animus, mind) and the objective element (corpus, body) of possession, establishing that a pupil can only lose the latter factual state on their own.
  2. §41.2.29.prquod est enim facti — The word facti is a genitive of quality or belonging, meaning 'what is a matter of fact' or 'what belongs to the category of fact'. It provides the rational basis: even if a pupil lacks the legal capacity to perform transactions of intent, they cannot be prevented from losing a purely factual state of physical possession (corpus).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §41.2.29.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:41.2.29.pr

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