De tutelis
(Concerning guardianship.)
1 Paulus libro trigesimo octavo ad edictum. Tutela est, ut Servius definit, vis ac potestas in capite libero ad tuendum eum, qui propter aetatem sua sponte se defendere nequit, iure civili data ac permissa. 1Tutores autem sunt qui eam vim ac potestatem habent, exque re ipsa nomen ceperunt: itaque appellantur tutores quasi tuitores atque defensores, sicut aeditui dicuntur qui aedes tuentur. 2Mutus tutor dari non potest, quoniam auctoritatem praebere non potest. 3Surdum non posse dari tutorem plerique et Pomponius libro sexagesimo nono ad edictum probant, quia non tantum loqui, sed et audire tutor debet.
1 Paulus, On the Edict, Book XXXVIII. Guardianship is (as Servius defines the term), authority and power over a free person, granted for the purpose of protecting him who, on account of his age, is unable to protect himself; and this authority is conferred or admitted by the Civil Law. 1Guardians are those who possess this authority and power, and they derive their name from the office itself. Therefore they are styled guardians, being as it were protectors and defenders, just as those are styled guardians of a temple, who are charged with its care. 2A person who is dumb cannot be appointed a guardian, as he cannot exert his authority. 3Many legal writers, among them Pomponius (in the Sixty-ninth Book on the Edict), hold that a deaf person cannot be appointed a guardian, because a guardian should not only be able to speak, but also to hear.
2 Pomponius libro tertio ad Sabinum. Non est exigendum a pupillo, ut sibi tutorem petat aut ut ad tutorem suum proficiscatur.
2 Pomponius, On Sabinus, Book III. A minor should not be required to ask that a guardian be appointed for him, or to go in search of him.
3 Ulpianus libro trigesimo septimo ad Sabinum. Qui habet tutorem pupillus vel pupilla si furere coeperint, in ea causa sunt, ut in tutela nihilo minus durent: quae sententia quinti quoque Mucii fuit et a Iuliano probatur eoque iure utimur, ut cesset cura, si tutelae aetas indigeat. quare si tutores habent, per furorem in curam non rediguntur, sive non habent et furor eis accesserit, nihilo minus tutores accipere poterunt: quia lex duodecim tabularum ita accepta est, ut ad pupillos vel pupillas non pertineat. 1Quia autem in pupillorum persona adgnatos curatores non admittimus, idcirco putavi et si minor viginti quinque annis furiosus sit, curatorem ei non ut furioso, sed ut adulescenti dari, quasi aetatis esset impedimentum. et ita definiemus ei, quem aetas curae vel tutelae subicit, non esse necesse quasi dementi quaeri curatorem, et ita imperator Antoninus Augustus rescripsit, cum magis aetati quam dementiae tantisper sit consulendum. 2Si pupillus pupillave cum iusto tutore tutorve cum eorum quo litem agere vult et curator in eam rem petitur, utrum ipsis poscentibus datur an vero et adversario? et sciendum est, sive agant sive conveniantur, dari hunc curatorem posse, sed non alias, quam si ipse petat, cui dari eum oportet. denique Cassius libro sexto scripsit talem curatorem neminem dari posse nisi praesentem neque cuique nisi praesenti et postulanti, itaque infanti non potest dari. idem Cassius ait, si pupillus curatorem poscere non vult, quo minus cum eo agatur, cogi eum a praetore debuisse. 3Quolibet loco et tempore hunc curatorem dari posse Pomponius libro sexto decimo ad Sabinum scripsit. 4Si pupillus petat talem curatorem nec addat in quam rem, an in omnes controversias datus sit? et ait Celsus Servium constituisse in omnes res datum videri.
3 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXXVII. Where a male or female ward has a guardian, and becomes insane, he or she will still remain under guardianship while in this condition. This is the opinion of Quintus Mucius, and was approved by Julianus; and we adopt the rule that curatorship shall cease where the age requires guardianship. Therefore, if wards have guardians, they are not, by reason of their insanity, placed under curatorship; and if they have none, and insanity should attack them, they can, nevertheless, have guardians, because the Law of the Twelve Tables is understood not to apply to wards of either sex. 1For the reason, however, that we do not permit agnates to be the curators of minors, I have thought that even though a minor under the age of twenty-five may be insane, a curator should be appointed for him; not because he is insane, but for the reason that he is a minor, just as if the impediment of age existed. We make this distinction in the case of a person whose age subjects him to curatorship or guardianship, and it is not necessary to appoint a guardian for him on account of his demented condition. This the Emperor Antoninus Augustus stated in a Rescript, since provision should be made for age rather than insanity, during a certain time. 2Where a ward of either sex desires to institute proceedings against his or her lawful guardian, or if the latter desires to do so along with him or her, and a demand is made for a curator, shall he be appointed on the application of the ward, or on that of his or her adversary? It should be remembered that a curator can be appointed whether a ward sues or is sued, but this cannot be done unless he for whom the curator must be appointed requests it. Hence Cassius states in the Sixth Book that no one can be appointed a curator under such circumstances, unless he is present, and the party requesting his appointment is also in court. Therefore, a curator cannot be appointed for an infant. Cassius says that if a minor does not wish to ask for a curator, in order to prevent suit from being brought against him, he should be compelled to make application for one by the Prætor. 3Pomponius states in the Sixteenth Book, that a curator of this kind can be appointed at any place and at any time. 4If a minor petitions for such a curator, and does not state for what purpose he wishes him, shall he be appointed for all the controversies in which the minor may be involved? Celsus says that Servius has decided that the curator should be considered to be appointed for the transaction of all business.
4 Paulus libro octavo ad Sabinum. Quod dicitur, si indistincte datus sit curator, in totam litem datum videri, fortasse eo spectet, si familiae herciscundae aut communi dividundo aut finium regundorum actio esset cum tutore, et si indistincte datus esset, non solum eo nomine curator esset, quod ageret pupillus pupillave, sed invicem quoque quod cum his ageretur. 1Possunt autem vel plures in plurium locum vel unus in plurium vel unus unius loco vel in unam litem vel in plures curator peti.
4 Paulus, On Sabinus, Book VIII. Where it is stated that the curator is appointed without distinction, he is held to have been designated for the management of all litigation, and this has reference to cases where an action is brought against a guardian for the partition of an estate, or the division of property held in common, or for the establishment of boundaries; and if the appointment thus is made in general terms, a curator is considered to have authority to act not only in cases where the ward is plaintiff, but, on the other hand, where suit is brought against him. 1Several curators can be asked for in the place of several guardians, or one in the place of several, or one curator in the place of one guardian, either for the management of a single lawsuit or for the conduct of several.
5 Pomponius libro septimo decimo ad Sabinum. Cum semel petitus sit talis curator, quamdiu is curator maneat, alius in eandem litem curator peti non potest. 1Etsi Titius verbi gratia adversus Seium curator petitus sit, idem Titius adversus alium tutorem dari poterit, ut ex diversis causis unus duorum curatorum locum optineat. quod quidem et adversus eundem accidet, si in diversas lites in diversis temporibus idem petatur.
5 Pomponius, On Sabinus, Book XVII. Where a curator of this kind has once been asked for, he will remain in office until the suit is disposed of, and another curator cannot be asked for in the same proceeding. 1And if, for example, the appointment of Titius is asked for, as against Seius, this same Titius can be appointed to conduct the case against another guardian, so that in different cases one curator will take the place of two. This may happen, indeed, with reference to the same guardian, if the same curator is appointed for the conduct of different cases at different times.
6 Ulpianus libro trigesimo octavo ad Sabinum. Muto itemque mutae impuberibus tutorem dari posse verum est: sed an auctoritas eis accommodari possit, dubitatur. et si potest tacenti, et muto potest. est autem verius, ut Iulianus libro vicesimo primo digestorum scripsit, etiam tacentibus auctoritatem posse accommodare. 1Sub condicione a praesidibus provinciarum non posse dari tutorem placet et, si datus sit, nullius esse momenti dationem: et ita Pomponius ait: hanc autem adiectionem, quam praesides provinciarum faciunt ‘tutorem do, si satisdederit’ non condicionem in se habere, sed admonitionem, non aliter ei tutelam committi, quam si satisdederit, hoc est non aliter ei gerere permittendum, quam si rem salvam fore caverit. 2Tutoris datio neque imperii est neque iurisdictionis, sed ei soli competit, cui nominatim hoc dedit vel lex vel senatus consultum vel princeps. 3Surdo impuberi poterit tutor dari. 4Ei cuius pater in hostium potestate est tutorem dari non posse palam est: sed si datus sit, an in pendenti sit datio, quaeri potest. et non puto dationem valere: sic enim post patris regressum reccidit in potestatem, atque si numquam pater ab hostibus captus fuisset. immo curator substantiae dari debet, ne in medio pereat.
6 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXXVIII. It is true that a guardian can be appointed for minors who are dumb, and have not arrived at puberty. But may it not be doubted whether they can be authorized by their guardian? If the guardian can authorize a ward who is silent, he can also authorize one who is dumb. It is, however, perfectly true (as Julianus states in the Twenty-first Book of the Digest), that the guardian can authorize his ward to act even if he is silent. 1It is settled that a guardian cannot be appointed conditionally by the Governor of a province, and if one should be appointed, his appointment will be of no effect. This is also the opinion of Pomponius. But if a Governor makes the appointment in the following terms: “I appoint such-and-such a man guardian, if he gives security”; this appointment does not contain a condition, but a warning that the guardlianship will not be conferred upon him unless he furnishes security; that is to say, he will not be allowed to transact the business of his office without giving a bond to insure the preservation of the property. 2The appointment of a guardian is not an Imperial privilege, nor one attaching to magisterial jurisdiction, but only belongs to him upon whom the right has been conferred by the law, or by a Decree of the Senate, or by the Emperor himself. 3A guardian can be appointed for a minor who is deaf. 4It is clear that a guardian cannot be appointed for a minor whose father is in the hands of the enemy. If, however, one should be appointed, it may be asked whether or not the appointment may not remain in suspense. I do not think that such an appointment is valid, for, after the return of the father, the minor will again come under his control, just as if his father had never been captured by the enemy. Still, a curator should be appointed for the management of the property to prevent it from being lost in the meantime.
7 Ulpianus libro secundo disputationum. Si filius familias tutor a praetore datus sit, si quidem pater tutelam agnovit, in solidum debet teneri, si non adgnovit, dumtaxat de peculio. adgnovisse autem videtur, sive gessit sive gerenti filio consensit sive omnino attigit tutelam. unde cum quidam filio scripsisset, ut diligenter tutelam gereret, ‘cum scias’, inquit, ‘periculum ad nos pertinere’, dixi hunc quoque videri adgnovisse: plane si solum monuit filium, non videtur agnita.
7 Ulpianus, Disputations, Book II. Where a son under paternal control is appointed guardian by the Prætor, and his father assents to the appointment, he should be held liable for the entire amount, but if he does not assent, he will be liable only for the amount of the peculium. He will be considered to have approved of the appointment if he himself transacts the business of the guardianship, or consents that his son shall do so; or if he, in any way whatever, concerns himself with the office. Hence, where a man wrote to his son to administer the guardianship carefully, and said, “For you know that we are responsible”; I held that he should be considered to have approved of the appointment. It is clear that if he only advises his son, he should not be held to have given his approbation.
8 Idem libro primo opinionum. Patronus quoque tutor liberti sui fidem exhibere debet, et si qua in fraudem debitorum quamvis pupilli liberti gesta sunt, revocari ius publicum permittit.
8 The Same, Opinions, Book I. A patron, who is also the guardian of his freedman, should carry out his contracts, and if he in any way defrauds the creditors of the ward who is his freedman, the law permits his appointment to be revoked.
9 Marcianus libro tertio institutionum. In eos extra ordinem animadvertitur, qui probentur nummis datis tutelam occupasse vel pretio accepto operam dedisse, ut non idoneus tutor daretur, vel consulto in edendo patrimonio quantitatem minuerit, vel evidenti fraude pupillorum bona alienasset.
9 Marcianus, Institutes, Book III. An extraordinary punishment is inflicted upon those who are proved to have obtained a guardianship by the payment of money; or have given their services for a pecuniary consideration in order to secure the appointment of an insolvent guardian; or, when making the inventory, have purposely diminished the amount of the property of the ward; or have alienated it evidently with fraudulent intent.
10 Ulpianus libro secundo ad edictum. Etiam non municeps tutor dari potest, dummodo municipi detur.
10 Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book II. A man who is not a resident of the town can be appointed a guardian, provided the ward for whom he is appointed is a citizen of the place.
11 Paulus libro tertio ad Vitellium. Furiosus si tutor datus fuerit, potest intellegi ita dari, cum suae mentis esse coeperit.
11 Paulus, On Vitellius, Book III. If an insane person should be appointed a guardian, the appointment must be understood to have been made under the condition that he becomes of sound mind.
12 Idem libro decimo responsorum. Quaesitum est, an hi, qui in locum absentis rei publicae causa tutores dati sunt, mortuo illo tutores perseverent, an alii petendi essent. Paulus respondit eos, qui in locum absentis dati sunt, non reverso eo in eadem causa perseverare usque ad tempus pubertatis.
12 The Same, Opinions, Book X. The question arose whether parties who are appointed guardians in the place of another, who is absent in the service of the government, would continue in their office if the former should die; or whether application for the appointment of others should be made? Paulus answers that where they are appointed in the place of one who is absent, and the latter does not return, they will continue to hold their office until the ward arrives at the age of puberty.
13 Pomponius libro secundo enchiridii. Solet etiam curator dari aliquando tutorem habenti propter adversam tutoris valetudinem vel senium aetatis: qui magis administrator rerum, quam curator esse intellegitur. 1Est etiam adiutor tutelae, quem solet praetor permittere tutoribus constituere, qui non possunt sufficere administrationi tutelae, ita tamen ut suo periculo eum constituant.
13 Pomponius, Enchiridion, Book II. It is sometimes customary for a curator to be appointed for a ward who has a guardian, either on account of the ill health of the latter, or because of his old age; but he is understood to be rather a business manager than a genuine curator. 1The Prætor is accustomed to permit guardians to appoint an assistant in the administration of the guardianship, where they cannot satisfactorily administer it themselves, but this assistant is appointed at the guardian’s own risk.
14 Ulpianus libro trigesimo septimo ad Sabinum. Si adrogati sunt adhuc impuberes vel deportati sint pupilli, tutores habere desinunt. 1Item si in servitutem pupillus redigatur, utique finitur tutela. 2Aliis quoque modis desinunt esse tutores, si forte quis ab hostibus fuerit captus vel pupillus vel tutor. 3Sed et si ad tempus fuerit quis datus, tempore finito tutor esse desinit. 4Praeterea si suspectus quis fuerit remotus, desinit esse tutor. 5Sed et si ad certam condicionem datus sit, aeque evenit, ut desinat esse tutor exsistente condicione.
14 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXX. Where minors are arrogated or deported, they cease to have guardians. 1The guardianship also terminates where a ward is reduced to slavery. 2Guardians cease to hold office for several other reasons, for example, where either the ward or the guardian is captured by the enemy. 3When a guardian is appointed for a certain time, at the expiration of that time he ceases to hold his office. 4Moreover, a guardian ceases to hold his office where he is removed on account of being suspected. 5Where a guardian is appointed under a certain condition, it also happens that when the condition is fulfilled, he ceases to be a guardian.
15 Idem libro trigesimo octavo ad Sabinum. Si quis tutor non sit captus ab hostibus, sed missus ad eos quasi legatus, aut etiam receptus ab eis, aut transfugerit, quia servus non efficitur, tutor manet, sed interim a praesidibus alius tutor dabitur.
15 The Same, On Sabinus, Book XXXVIII. Where a guardian is not captured by the enemy, but is sent in the capacity of ambassador, whether he is received or deserts, for the reason that he does not become a slave, he still remains a guardian, but, in the meantime, another guardian will be appointed by the Governor.
16 Gaius libro duodecimo ad edictum provinciale. Tutela plerumque virile officium est. 1Et sciendum est nullam tutelam hereditario iure ad alium transire: sed ad liberos virilis sexus perfectae aetatis descendunt legitimae, ceterae non descendunt.
16 Gaius, On the Provincial Edict, Book XII. Guardianship is generally an office whose duties are exercised by men. 1It must be understood that guardianship does not pass to another by hereditary right. The legal guardianships of parents, however, descend to children of the male sex, who are of age, but others are not transmitted.
17 Paulus libro octavo ad Sabinum. Complura senatus consulta facta sunt, ut in locum furiosi et muti et surdi tutoris alii tutores dentur.
17 Paulus, On Sabinus, Book VIII. Several decrees of the Senate have been enacted providing that other guardians should be appointed in the place of those who are insane, dumb, and deaf.
18 Neratius libro tertio regularum. Feminae tutores dari non possunt, quia id munus masculorum est, nisi a principe filiorum tutelam specialiter postulent.
18 Neratius, Rules, Book III. Women cannot be appointed guardians, because this is an office which belongs to men unless they obtain the guardianship of their children through an express application to the Emperor.