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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §42.4.8.pr

Possession and Curatorship When Existence of Heir Is Uncertain

Passage 6942 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains that if it remains uncertain for a long time whether an heir will appear, possession of the goods for preservation should be permitted after investigation, and a curator may be appointed if the situation is urgent.

[IDEM libro sexagensimo ad edictum. ] §42.4.8.prSi diu incertum sit, heres extaturus nec ne sit, causa cognita permitti oportebit bona rei seruandae causa possidere, et, si ita res urgueat uel condicio bonorum, etiam hoc erit concedendum, ut curator constituatur
[THE SAME, book sixty on the edict.] If it is uncertain for a long time whether an heir is going to appear or not, it will be necessary, after an investigation of the case, to permit to possess the goods for the purpose of preserving the property; and, if the situation or the condition of the goods so presses, this also must be granted, that a curator be appointed.

Notes

  1. 42.4.8.prheres extaturus nec ne sit — An indirect question clause acting as the subject of the impersonal expression 'incertum sit'. The subjunctive 'sit' is omitted after the future active participle 'extaturus', which stands in coordination with 'nec ne sit'.
  2. 42.4.8.prpermitti oportebit bona rei seruandae causa possidere — A double infinitive structure where the passive infinitive 'permitti' acts as the subject of the impersonal verb 'oportebit', and the active infinitive clause 'bona possidere' (to possess the goods) functions as the subject of 'permitti'. 'rei seruandae causa' is a gerundive construction expressing purpose.
  3. 42.4.8.prut curator constituatur — A noun clause introduced by 'ut' which stands in apposition to, and explains the content of, the demonstrative pronoun 'hoc'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §42.4.8.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:42.4.8.pr

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