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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §9.4.12.pr

Fraudulent Cessation of Slave's Possession to Avoid Noxal Action

Passage 1593 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section explains that if a bona fide possessor releases a slave to avoid a noxal action, he is liable to the action granted against those who have the slave in power or fraudulently ceased to possess him, as they are still deemed to possess.

[PAULUS libro sexto ad edictum. ] §9.4.12.prSi bona fide possessor eum seruum, quem bona fide possidebat, dimiserit, ne agi cum eo ex noxali causa possit, obligari eum actione, quae datur aduersus eos, qui seruum in potestate habeant aut dolo fecerint, quo minus haberent, quia per hoc adhuc possidere uidentur.
[PAUL, Book 6 on the Edict] If a bona fide possessor should release the slave whom he was possessing in good faith, so that he cannot be sued on a noxal cause, he is held to be liable to the action which is granted against those who have the slave in their power or have by fraud brought it about that they do not have him, because by this they are deemed still to possess.

Notes

  1. §9.4.12.probligari — Present passive infinitive. The use of the accusative and infinitive construction (AcI) in the main clause reflects a concise style typical of Roman juristic texts, where a general rule or legal opinion is stated, implying an unexpressed main verb such as *placuit* or *respondendum est* ('it is held that...').
  2. §9.4.12.prdolo fecerint, quo minus haberent — An idiomatic legal expression `dolo facere quo minus` ('to act fraudulently so as not to... / to employ fraudulent means to avoid...'). In this context, it refers to intentionally relinquishing possession of the slave (dolo desinere possidere) to escape liability under a noxal action.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §9.4.12.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:9.4.12.pr

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