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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §44.7.54.pr

Invalidity of Simulated Contracts Lacking True Intent

Passage 7339 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This passage explains that fictitious contracts do not possess legal binding force even in the case of purchases, as only the appearance of a transaction is simulated without any underlying truth.

[IDEM libro quinto regularum. ] §44.7.54.prContractus imaginarii etiam in emptionibus iuris uinculum non optinent, cum fides facti simulatur non intercedente ueritate.
[THE SAME, Rules, Book V] Fictitious contracts do not obtain the bond of law even in purchases, since the appearance of an act is simulated without the truth intervening.

Notes

  1. §44.7.54.prnon intercedente ueritate — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun `ueritas` (truth) in the ablative singular and the present participle `intercedente` (intervening) in the ablative singular. Negated by `non`, it expresses an attendant circumstance: "without the truth intervening" or "with no reality underlying it."
  2. §44.7.54.proptinent — Used here in the sense of "to hold good," "to obtain," or "to have force." Together with the accusative object `iuris uinculum` (the bond of law), it means "do not hold/possess legal binding force."
  3. §44.7.54.prcum fides facti simulatur — The conjunction `cum` is followed by the indicative present passive `simulatur` (is simulated/feigned), here expressing a ground or reason based on an objective fact ("since/as"). `fides facti` literally means "the faith/credibility of a deed," referring here to the simulated appearance of a transaction.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §44.7.54.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:44.7.54.pr

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