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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §46.2.29.pr

Effects of Voluntary Novation and Joinder of Issue on Privileges

Passage 7650 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains the difference in legal effects between voluntary novation and joinder of issue, using the preservation of privileges of dower and guardianship as examples, and showing that exercising an action improves one's legal position.

[PAULUS libro uicesimo quarto quaestionum. ] §46.2.29.prAliam causam esse nouationis uoluntariae, aliam iudicii accepti multa exempla ostendunt.
[PAULUS, Questions, Book 24.] Many examples show that the legal position of voluntary novation is one thing, and that of an accepted judgment another.
perit priuilegium dotis et tutelae, si post diuortium dos in stipulationem deducatur uel post pubertatem tutelae actio nouetur, si id specialiter actum est: quod nemo dixit lite contestata: neque enim deteriorem causam nostram facimus actionem exercentes, sed meliorem, ut solet dici in his actionibus, quae tempore uel morte finiri possunt.
The privilege of dower and of guardianship is lost if, after divorce, the dower is brought into a stipulation, or if, after puberty, the action of guardianship is novated, provided that this was specifically agreed upon; but no one has said this of joinder of issue: for we do not make our position worse by exercising an action, but better, as is usually said of those actions which can be ended by time or death.

Notes

  1. §46.2.29.prAliam causam ... aliam — Here 'causa' refers not to 'cause' or 'lawsuit', but to 'legal position', 'legal character', or 'effect'. It indicates that voluntary novation and joinder of issue produce different legal outcomes.
  2. §46.2.29.prquod nemo dixit lite contestata — The relative pronoun 'quod' refers to the preceding clause 'the privilege is lost (perit priuilegium...)'. 'lite contestata' is an ablative absolute. It means 'but no one said this of joinder of issue', contrasting the voluntary novation (which destroys the privilege) with the necessary novation of joinder of issue (where the privilege persists).
  3. §46.2.29.prdeteriorem causam nostram facimus actionem exercentes — 'actionem exercentes' is a present participle expressing means ('by exercising an action'). 'facimus' takes 'causam nostram' and 'deteriorem' as direct object and object complement ('make our position worse'). This expresses the civil law principle that bringing an action does not disadvantage the plaintiff.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §46.2.29.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:46.2.29.pr

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