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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §46.8.24.pr-46.8.24.1

Time Limits and Representative Status in Ratifying Estate Possession

Passage 7855 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Discusses the time limit (within 100 days) for ratifying the possession of goods claimed by another, and argues that the subsequent death, insanity, or change of mind of the claimant does not prevent valid ratification.

[AFRICANUS libro quinto quaestionum. ] §46.8.24.prBonorum possessionem ab alio adgnitam ratam haberi oportere eo tempore, quo adhuc in ea causa sit, ut peti possit: itaque post centensimum diem rata haberi non potest.
[AFRICANUS, Book V of Questions.] The possession of goods acknowledged by another must be ratified at a time when it is still in such a condition that it can be claimed; therefore, it cannot be ratified after the hundredth day.
§46.8.24.1An autem et si mortuus fuisset qui petisset uel furere coeperit, ratum haberi possit, uideamus: nam si in uniuersum perinde haberi debet, ac si tunc, cum ratum habeat, per eum bonorum possessionem petat, frustra his casibus ratum habetur.
But let us see whether it can be ratified even if the person who made the claim has died or has begun to be insane; for if, in general, it ought to be treated just as if, at the time when he ratifies, he were claiming the possession of goods through him, in these cases ratification is made in vain.
sed illud consequens futurum etiam si paeniteat illum petisse, ratum haberi non posse, quod utique sit absurdum.
But it would also follow from this that even if he should regret having made the claim, it could not be ratified, which would certainly be absurd.
rectius itaque dicitur neutram eorum causam impedire ratihabitionem.
Therefore, it is more correctly said that neither of those circumstances hinders ratification.

Notes

  1. §46.8.24.prin ea causa sit, ut peti possit — The ut-clause with the present subjunctive expresses result or limitation, meaning that the matter is still in such a legal status that it is within the time limit (100 days) to be claimed.
  2. §46.8.24.1An autem et si mortuus fuisset... ratum haberi possit, uideamus — The main verb uideamus introduces an indirect question starting with an... possit. The concessive et si (even if) clause contains the pluperfect subjunctive fuisset and perfect subjunctive coeperit, representing hypothetical conditions.
  3. §46.8.24.1sed illud consequens futurum etiam si paeniteat illum petisse, ratum haberi non posse — The phrase consequens futurum [esse] is an accusative with infinitive showing the logical consequence of the absurd assumption discussed before. The pronoun illud anticipates the appositive infinitive clause ratum haberi non posse.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §46.8.24.pr-46.8.24.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:46.8.24.pr-46.8.24.1

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