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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.16.8.pr-50.16.8.1

Scope of Future Tense and Distinction of Action and Exception

Passage 8822 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Paul's rules on the interpretation of legal terms. It establishes that the future expression 'it will be necessary' covers both present and future tenses, and that the word 'action' does not encompass 'exception' (defense).

[IDEM libro tertio ad edictum. ] §50.16.8.prUerbum 'oportebit' tam praesens quam futurum tempus significat.
[The same, in the third book on the Edict.] The word 'it will be necessary' signifies the present as well as the future tense.
' §50.16.8.1Actionis' uerbo non continetur exceptio.
An exception is not included under the term 'action'.

Notes

  1. §50.16.8.prIDEM — Refers to the same author as the preceding fragment (Paul).
  2. §50.16.8.proportebit — The third-person singular future indicative of the impersonal verb `oportere` (it is necessary). It indicates the interpretive principle that a future-tensed term in legal texts applies to both present and future times.
  3. §50.16.8.1Actionis — A genitive noun modifying `uerbo` (by the word). In Roman law, an 'action' (`actio`), representing the plaintiff's assertion of a right, is strictly distinguished from an 'exception' (`exceptio`), which is the defendant's defense, and is therefore not included in the term.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.16.8.pr-50.16.8.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.16.8.pr-50.16.8.1

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