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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §42.1.53.pr-42.1.53.3

Definition and Sanctions for Contumacy by Non-Appearance

Passage 6905 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This text defines the contumacy (failure to appear) of those who disobey the administering magistrate, stating that it is punished by the loss of the lawsuit, while outlining exceptions for cases of illness, more urgent business, or lack of proper jurisdiction.

[HERMOGENIANUS libro primo iuris epitomarum. ] §42.1.53.prContumacia eorum, qui ius dicenti non obtemperant, litis damno coercetur.
[HERMOGENIANUS, in the first book of Epitomes of Law.] The contumacy of those who do not obey the person administering justice is punished by the loss of the lawsuit.
§42.1.53.1Contumax est, qui tribus edictis propositis uel uno pro tribus, quod uulgo peremptorium appellatur, litteris euocatus praesentiam sui facere contemnet.
A person is contumacious who, after three edicts have been posted, or one instead of three (which is commonly called "peremptory"), and having been summoned by letter, scorns to make his appearance.
§42.1.53.2Poenam contumacis non patitur, quem aduersa ualetudo uel maioris causae occupatio defendit.
He does not suffer the penalty of a contumacious person whom ill health or engagement in a more important matter excuses.
§42.1.53.3Contumaces non uidentur, nisi qui, cum oboedire deberent, non obsequuntur, id est qui ad iurisdictionem eius, cui negant obsequi, pertinent.
Persons are not considered contumacious unless they fail to comply when they ought to obey, that is, those who belong to the jurisdiction of him whom they refuse to obey.

Notes

  1. §42.1.53.prius dicenti — The participle `dicenti` (dative singular of the present participle `dicens`), combined with `ius`, is used substantively to mean "the person administering justice" or "magistrate". It is in the dative case because the verb `obtemperant` governs the dative.
  2. §42.1.53.1tribus edictis propositis uel uno pro tribus — `tribus edictis propositis` is an ablative absolute construction (noun + participle). In the following clause `uel uno pro tribus` ("or one instead of three"), the participle `proposito` is omitted but understood, continuing the same ablative absolute structure.
  3. §42.1.53.2quem aduersa ualetudo uel maioris causae occupatio defendit — The relative pronoun `quem` in the accusative case is placed first, whose antecedent (the person who does not suffer the penalty) is the understood subject of the main verb `patitur`. Inside the relative clause, the subject is `aduersa ualetudo uel maioris causae occupatio`, which governs the verb `defendit` ("excuses" or "defends").
  4. §42.1.53.3Contumaces non uidentur, nisi qui — An elliptical structure for `Contumaces non uidentur [ei], nisi [ei] qui...`. The conjunction `nisi` ("unless") introduces an exception, meaning "they are not considered contumacious unless they are those who...".

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §42.1.53.pr-42.1.53.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:42.1.53.pr-42.1.53.3

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