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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §46.7.19.pr-46.7.19.2

Interpretation of Fraud Clauses in Judgment Guarantees

Passage 7829 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section discusses the interpretation of the fraud clause in stipulations for payment of judgments, including its extension to the future, the liability of heirs, liability for third-party fraud, and its reference to the beginning of the contract.

[IDEM libro nono stipulationum. ] §46.7.19.prNouissima clausula iudicatum solui stipulationis 'dolum malum abesse afuturumque esse' et in futurum tempus permanens factum demonstrat.
[THE SAME, On Stipulations, book 9.] last clause of the stipulation for payment of the judgment, 'that fraud is and shall be absent', points to a fact continuing into future time.
itaque et si forte decesserit is, qui dolo fecerit, tenebitur heres eius: uerbum enim 'afuturumque esse' plenissimum est et ad omne tempus refertur, ut, si aliquo tempore non afuerit dolus, quoniam uerum sit non afuisse, committatur haec clausula. §46.7.19.1Si autem adiectum sit: 'si huius rei dolus malus non aberit, quanti ea res est, dari spondes?', et ob extranei dolum promissor poena tenebitur. §46.7.19.2Doli autem mali clausula, sicut reliquae stipulationes, in quibus tempus nominatim adiectum non est, ad principium stipulationis refertur.
Therefore, even if he who acted with fraud should happen to die, his heir will be held liable; for the word 'and shall be absent' is most comprehensive and refers to all time, so that if at any time fraud was not absent, since it is true that it was not absent, this clause is triggered., however, it is added: 'If fraud is not absent concerning this matter, do you promise that a sum equal to the value of the matter shall be given?', the promisor will be held liable for the penalty even on account of the fraud of a third party. clause concerning fraud, however, like other stipulations in which a time is not expressly added, refers to the beginning of the stipulation.

Notes

  1. §46.7.19.prnouissima clausula — The adjective 'nouissima' can mean 'latest' or 'newest', but here it refers to the 'last clause' in the standard formula of the stipulation for payment of the judgment (stipulatio iudicatum solui), where the fraud clause was traditionally placed at the end.
  2. §46.7.19.prcommittatur — In legal terminology, the verb 'committi' means that a condition is fulfilled, or that a breach of a clause or contract is established, thereby 'triggering' the penalty or claim.
  3. §46.7.19.1poena tenebitur — The word 'poena' is an ablative of means/cause, indicating that the promisor will be held liable (tenebitur) 'by the penalty'. Even if the fraud of a third party (extraneus) is involved, the promisor cannot escape liability if there is an agreement on the penalty (poena).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §46.7.19.pr-46.7.19.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:46.7.19.pr-46.7.19.2

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