Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §5.2.1.pr

Standing to File Complaints of an Undutiful Will

Passage 964 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section explains that complaints regarding an undutiful will (querela inofficiosi testamenti) are frequent and allowed for parents and children, whereas more distant relatives beyond brothers would be wiser to avoid useless expenses as they stand no chance of prevailing.

[ULPIANUS libro quarto decimo ad edictum. ] §5.2.1.prSciendum est frequentes esse inofficiosi querellas: omnibus enim tam parentibus quam liberis de inofficioso licet disputare.
[ULPIANUS in the fourteenth book on the Edict.] It must be known that complaints of an undutiful will are frequent; for all, both parents and children, are permitted to dispute concerning an undutiful will.
cognati enim proprii qui sunt ultra fratrem melius facerent, si se sumptibus inanibus non uexarent, cum optinere spem non haberent.
For those of one's own cognates who are beyond a brother would do better if they did not vex themselves with useless expenses, since they have no hope of prevailing.

Notes

  1. §5.2.1.prinofficiosi — The genitive neuter singular of the adjective inofficiosus (undutiful, non-compliant with duty). It functions as a shorthand for the legal concept 'querela inofficiosi testamenti' (complaint of an undutiful will), with 'testamenti' being omitted or nominalized.
  2. §5.2.1.prmelius facerent, si... non uexarent — A present counterfactual conditional construct using the subjunctive imperfect (facerent, uexarent). Literally 'they would do better if they did not vex themselves', which contextually serves as a piece of advice or regret regarding their actual current behavior ('they would be wiser not to vex themselves').
  3. §5.2.1.prcum... haberent — A circumstantial or causal cum-clause with the subjunctive imperfect (haberent). It explains the objective reason or background ('since they have no hope of prevailing') for the preceding statement melius facerent... The infinitive optinere (to obtain, prevail) is used absolutely in legal contexts to mean 'to win a lawsuit' or 'to succeed in one's claim'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §5.2.1.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:5.2.1.pr

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