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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §6.1.80.pr

Non-Defense in a Real Action and Transfer by Proving Possession

Passage 1151 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains that in a real action, a defendant is not compelled to defend and can deny possession, but if the plaintiff proves the defendant's possession, the plaintiff can obtain transfer of possession without proving ownership.

[FURIUS ANTHIANUS libro primo ad edictum. ] §6.1.80.prIn rem actionem pati non compellimur, quia licet alicui dicere se non possidere, ita ut, si possit aduersarius conuincere rem ab aduersario possideri, transferat ad se possessionem per iudicem, licet suam esse non adprobauerit.
[FURIUS ANTHIANUS, in the first book of his Commentary on the Edict.] are not compelled to defend an action in rem, because anyone is allowed to say that he does not possess; with the result that, if the adversary can prove that the thing is possessed by his opponent, he may transfer the possession to himself through the judge, even though he has not proved that it is his own.

Notes

  1. §6.1.80.prIn rem actionem pati — "To suffer a real action" means to defend the action as a defendant. In Roman law, a defendant in an action in rem is not compelled to defend, but failure to do so results in losing possession of the thing.
  2. §6.1.80.praduersarius ... ab aduersario — The word aduersarius (adversary) refers to two different parties within the same sentence. The first aduersarius (subject of si possit aduersarius) refers to the plaintiff, while the second ab aduersario refers to the defendant.
  3. §6.1.80.prlicet suam esse non adprobauerit — licet introduces a concessive clause with the subjunctive (adprobauerit) meaning "even though/although". suam is the subject of the infinitive clause, referring to the ownership of the main subject aduersarius (the plaintiff).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §6.1.80.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:6.1.80.pr

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