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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §5.2.20.pr

Ineligibility of Carbonian Possession in Undue Will Claims

Passage 984 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Scaevola explains that the Carbonian possession of goods, typically granted to minors whose filiation is disputed, should not be given to someone alleging an inofficious testament, in order to prevent an unfair advantage.

[SCAEUOLA libro secundo quaestionum. ] §5.2.20.prQui de inofficioso uult dicere, licet negetur filius, Carbonianam bonorum possessionem non debet accipere (totiens enim ea indulgenda est, quotiens, si uere filius esset, heres esset aut bonorum possessor, ut interim et possideat et alatur et actionibus praeiudicium non patiatur: qui uero de inofficioso dicit, nec actiones mouere debet nec aliam ullam quam hereditatis petitionem exercere nec ali), ne umquam melioris sit condicionis, quam si confitetur aduersarius.
[SCAEVOLA in his Second Book of Questions.] He who wishes to argue on the ground of an inofficious testament, even though it is denied that he is a son, ought not to receive the Carbonian possession of goods (for this is to be granted only as often as, if he were truly a son, he would be an heir or a possessor of goods, so that in the meantime he may both possess and be maintained and not suffer prejudice in actions; whereas he who argues on the ground of an inofficious testament ought neither to bring actions, nor to exercise any action other than the petition for inheritance, nor to be maintained), lest he should ever be in a better position than if his adversary should acknowledge him.

Notes

  1. §5.2.20.prlicet negetur filius — A concessive clause introduced by the conjunction licet with the present subjunctive passive negetur, meaning "even though it is denied that he is a son."
  2. §5.2.20.prsi uere filius esset, heres esset — A contrary-to-fact conditional sentence in the present, using the imperfect subjunctive (esset... esset).
  3. §5.2.20.prne umquam melioris sit condicionis — A negative purpose clause (ne + present subjunctive sit) that bypasses the long parenthetical explanation (totiens enim... nec ali) and directly modifies the main verb non debet accipere, explaining the purpose of withholding the Carbonian possession.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §5.2.20.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:5.2.20.pr

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