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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §5.2.25.pr-5.2.25.1

Inter Vivos Gifts for Portions and Suits Against One Heir

Passage 989 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This chunk discusses the availability of the complaint of an inofficious testament when an inter vivos gift is made to be counted toward the fourth part, and the effectiveness of such a complaint when a person who normally lacks standing is admitted to bring it against a specific heir.

[IDEM libro secundo disputationum. ] §5.2.25.prSi non mortis causa fuerit donatum, sed inter uiuos, hac tamen contemplatione, ut in quartam habeatur: potest dici inofficiosi querellam cessare, si quartam in donatione habet aut si minus habeat, quod deest uiri boni arbitratu repleatur: aut certe conferri oportere id quod donatum est.
[BY THE SAME AUTHOR in his Second Book of Disputations.] If a gift was made not mortis causa, but inter vivos, yet with this contemplation, that it should be counted toward the fourth part: it can be said that the complaint of an inofficious testament does not lie, if he has the fourth part in the donation; or if he has less, that what is lacking should be made up by the decision of an honorable man; or at least, that what was donated ought to be brought into collation.
§5.2.25.1Si quis, cum non possit de inofficioso queri, ad querellam admissus pro parte rescindere testamentum temptet et unum sibi heredem eligat, contra quem inofficiosi querellam instituat, dicendum est, quia testamentum pro parte ualet et praecedentes eum personae exclusae sunt, cum effectu eum querellam instituisse.
If anyone who, although he could not complain of an inofficious testament, having been admitted to the complaint, should attempt to rescind the testament in part and choose for himself one heir against whom he may bring the complaint of an inofficious testament, it must be said that, because the testament is valid in part and the persons preceding him are excluded, he has brought the complaint with effect.

Notes

  1. §5.2.25.prhac contemplatione, ut in quartam habeatur — The noun phrase in the ablative, 'hac contemplatione' (with this contemplation), is explained by the appositional substantive clause with 'ut' and the subjunctive 'habeatur'. 'Quartam' refers to the legal fourth part (legitima portio).
  2. §5.2.25.pruiri boni arbitratu — 'Uiri boni' is a genitive modifying the ablative 'arbitratu' (by the decision). This is a legal idiom meaning 'by the judgment of an honorable man', indicating an equitable evaluation by an impartial third party.
  3. §5.2.25.1dicendum est ... cum effectu eum querellam instituisse — The accusative with infinitive clause 'eum ... instituisse' serves as the subject of the impersonal gerundive construction 'dicendum est' (it must be said). The 'quia' clause provides the reason for this determination.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §5.2.25.pr-5.2.25.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:5.2.25.pr-5.2.25.1

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