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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §7.8.18.pr

Liability for Repairs in the Bequest of House Use

Passage 1331 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Paulus explains the liability for maintenance and repairs when the use of a house is bequeathed without usufruct, distinguishing between cases where the heir can still receive fruits and where he cannot, arguing that this distinction determines who must bear the burden of repairs.

[PAULUS libro nono ad Plautium. ] §7.8.18.prSi domus usus legatus sit sine fructu, communis refectio est rei in sartis tectis tam heredis quam usuarii.
[PAULUS libro nono ad Plautium.] If the use of a house is bequeathed without the usufruct, the repair of the property in keeping it in good repair is common to both the heir and the user.
uideamus tamen, ne, si fructum heres accipiat, ipse reficere debeat, si uero talis sit res, cuius usus legatus est, ut heres fructum percipere non possit, legatarius reficere cogendus est: quae distinctio rationem habet.
Let us consider, however, whether, if the heir receives the fruits, he himself ought to repair it; but if the property whose use is bequeathed is of such a nature that the heir cannot reap the fruits, the legatee must be compelled to repair it. This distinction is reasonable.

Notes

  1. 7.8.18.prsartis tectis — Plural ablative of the adjectives *sartus* (repaired) and *tectus* (roofed/covered). Combined with the preposition *in*, it is a legal idiom meaning "keeping in good repair" or "keeping wind and water tight." Here, it refers to the basic maintenance duties required to prevent the property from falling into decay.
  2. 7.8.18.pruideamus tamen, ne, si fructum heres accipiat, ipse reficere debeat — The hortatory/deliberative subjunctive *uideamus* ("let us consider") governs the subordinate clause *ne... debeat* (present subjunctive). The construction *uideamus ne...* introduces a hypothetical suggestion in a positive sense ("let us consider whether ... not"), suggesting that the heir indeed ought to make repairs. The conditional clause *si... accipiat* is nested within this subordinate structure.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §7.8.18.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:7.8.18.pr

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