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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §41.2.36.pr

Pledged Land: Retention of Possession and Usucapion

Passage 6734 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The text discusses how a debtor who pledges land is still deemed to possess it, and how requesting the same land by precarium does not prevent usucapion, as the debtor holds a stronger legal position than a non-possessor.

[IULIANUS libro tertio decimo digestorum. ] §41.2.36.prQui pignoris causa fundum creditori tradit, intellegitur possidere.
[JULIANUS, in the thirteenth book of the Digests.]\n\nHe who delivers land to a creditor for the purpose of a pledge is understood to possess it.
sed et si eundem precario rogauerit, aeque per diutinam possessionem capiet: nam cum possessio creditoris non impediat capionem, longe minus precarii rogatio impedimento esse non debet, cum plus iuris in possessione habeat qui precario rogauerit quam qui omnino non possidet.
But even if he has requested the same land by precarium, he will equally acquire it through long-continued possession; for since the possession of the creditor does not prevent usucapion, much less should the request of precarium be an obstacle, since he who has requested by precarium has more of right in possession than he who does not possess at all.

Notes

  1. §41.2.36.printellegitur possidere — This indicates that even when a debtor delivers land for a pledge, the debtor is understood to retain possession leading to usucapion, while the creditor merely has detention or a limited form of possession.
  2. §41.2.36.prlonge minus precarii rogatio impedimento esse non debet — longe minus means "much less." Following the negative non impediat, it introduces an a fortiori argument that the request of precarium, which is an even weaker impediment, should by no means be an obstacle. impedimento is a dative of purpose ("as an obstacle").
  3. §41.2.36.prplus iuris in possessione habeat — plus iuris (literally "more of right") is an expression with a partitive genitive, meaning "greater legal standing" or "more right." One who holds property by precarium has a stronger legal position regarding possession compared to one who does not possess at all.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §41.2.36.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:41.2.36.pr

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