Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.17.9.pr

Adoption of the Minimal Option in Ambiguous Cases

Passage 9069 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian states the legal maxim that in obscure or ambiguous cases, one must always adopt the interpretation or course of action that is the least burdensome or most minimal.

[ULPIANUS libro quinto decimo ad Sabinum. ] §50.17.9.prSemper in obscuris quod minimum est sequimur.
[ULPIANUS, in his fifteenth book on Sabinus.] In obscure matters, we always follow that which is least.

Notes

  1. 50.17.9.prin obscuris — The neuter plural ablative of the adjective `obscurus` ("obscure, ambiguous") is used substantively with the preposition `in` to mean "in obscure matters" or "in ambiguous circumstances."
  2. 50.17.9.prquod minimum est — The relative clause `quod minimum est` ("that which is least"), with the relative pronoun `quod` (neuter singular nominative) as its subject and the antecedent omitted, functions as the direct object of `sequimur` ("we follow"). This expresses the legal principle of choosing the least burdensome interpretation when an obligation or text is ambiguous.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.17.9.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.17.9.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.