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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §43.5.1.pr-43.5.1.11

Scope of the Interdict for Exhibiting Testaments

Passage 7041 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section explains the interdict for exhibiting testaments, outlining its scope of application regarding the validity and completeness of the documents, codicils, and the status of the testator.

[ULPIANUS libro sexagensimo octauo ad edictum. ] §43.5.1.prPraetor ait: 'Quas tabulas Lucius Titius ad causam testamenti sui pertinentes reliquisse dicetur, si hae penes te sunt aut dolo malo tuo factum est, ut desinerent esse, ita eas illi exhibeas.
[ULPIAN, on the Edict, book sixty-eight.] The praetor says: 'As for whatever tablets Lucius Titius is said to have left pertaining to the matter of his testament, if these are in your possession or it has been brought about by your malicious intent that they ceased to be, you must exhibit them to him.
item si libellus aliudue quid relictum esse dicetur, decreto comprehendam'. §43.5.1.1Si quis forte confiteatur penes se esse testamentum, iubendus est exhibere, et tempus ei dandum est, ut exhibeat, si non potest in praesentiarum exhibere.
Likewise, if a booklet or anything else is said to have been left, I shall include it in my decree.' If anyone should happen to confess that the testament is in his possession, he must be ordered to exhibit it, and time must be given to him to exhibit it, if he cannot exhibit it at present.
sed si neget se exhibere posse uel oportere, interdictum hoc competit.
But if he denies that he can or ought to exhibit it, this interdict is applicable.
§43.5.1.2Hoc interdictum pertinet non tantum ad testamenti tabulas, uerum ad omnia, quae ad causam testamenti pertinent: ut puta et ad codicillos pertinet.
This interdict pertains not only to the tablets of a testament, but to all things which pertain to the matter of a testament; for example, it also pertains to codicils.
§43.5.1.3Siue autem ualet testamentum siue non, uel quod ab initio inutiliter factum est, siue ruptum sit uel in quo alio uitio, sed etiam si falsum esse dicatur uel ab eo factum qui testamenti factionem non habuerit: dicendum est interdictum ualere.
And whether the testament is valid or not, either because it was from the beginning ineffectually made, or whether it has been revoked or has any other defect, and even if it is said to be forged or made by one who did not have the capacity to make a testament: it must be said that the interdict is applicable.
§43.5.1.4Siue supremae tabulae sint siue non sint, sed priores, dicendum interdictum hoc locum habere.
Whether they are the final tablets or are not, but prior ones, it must be said that this interdict has application.
§43.5.1.5Itaque dicendum est ad omnem omnino scripturam testamenti, siue perfectam siue imperfectam, interdictum hoc pertinere.
Therefore, it must be said that this interdict pertains to absolutely every writing of a testament, whether complete or incomplete.
§43.5.1.6Proinde et si plures tabulae sint testamenti, quia saepius fecerat, dicendum est interdicto locum fore: est enim quod ad causam testamenti pertineat, quidquid quoquo tempore factum exhiberi debeat.
Accordingly, even if there are several tablets of a testament because he had made it multiple times, it must be said that there will be room for the interdict; for whatever has been made at any time and ought to be exhibited is something that pertains to the matter of the testament.
§43.5.1.7Sed et si de statu disceptetur, si testator filius familias uel seruus hoc fecisse dicatur, et hoc exhibebitur.
But also if there is a dispute concerning status, if the testator is said to have made this as a son-in-power or a slave, this too shall be exhibited.
§43.5.1.8Item si filius familias fecerit testamentum, qui de castrensi peculio testabatur, habet locum interdictum.
Likewise, if a son-in-power who made a testament was testating concerning his military peculium, the interdict has application.
§43.5.1.9Idem est et si is, qui testamentum fecit, apud hostes decessit.
The same is true if he who made the testament died in the hands of the enemy.
§43.5.1.10Hoc interdictum ad uiui tabulas non pertinet, quia uerba praetoris 'reliquerit' fecerunt mentionem.
This interdict does not pertain to the tablets of a living person, because the words of the praetor made mention of 'shall have left'.
§43.5.1.11Sed et si deletum sine dolo sit testamentum
But also if the testament has been effaced without malicious intent...

Notes

  1. §43.5.1.prQuas tabulas Lucius Titius ad causam testamenti sui pertinentes reliquisse dicetur — A relative clause where the antecedent `tabulas` is incorporated within the clause (the relative adjective `quas`). The pronoun `eas` in the main clause refers back to this entire relative construction: 'As for whatever tablets... you must exhibit them.'
  2. §43.5.1.prdolo malo tuo factum est, ut desinerent esse — The clause `ut desinerent` serves as the subject clause of the impersonal verb `factum est` ('it was brought about that...'). Here, `esse` can mean either 'to exist' or, by supplying `penes te` from the preceding clause, 'to be in your possession.' In either case, it refers to the situation where the tablets are no longer available due to the defendant's malice.
  3. §43.5.1.6est enim quod ad causam testamenti pertineat, quidquid quoquo tempore factum exhiberi debeat — The clause `quidquid... debeat` acts as a generalizing relative clause ('whatever was made... and ought to be exhibited'), which functions in apposition to or is embraced by the subject of `est... quod` ('there is that which...'). Thus: 'for whatever ought to be exhibited, at whatever time made, is something that pertains to...'

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §43.5.1.pr-43.5.1.11. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:43.5.1.pr-43.5.1.11

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