De curatoribus furioso et aliis extra minores dandis
(Concerning the appointment of curators for insane persons and others who are not minors.)
1 Ulpianus libro primo ad Sabinum. Lege duodecim tabularum prodigo interdicitur bonorum suorum administratio, quod moribus quidem ab initio introductum est. sed solent hodie praetores vel praesides, si talem hominem invenerint, qui neque tempus neque finem expensarum habet, sed bona sua dilacerando et dissipando profudit, curatorem ei dare exemplo furiosi: et tamdiu erunt ambo in curatione, quamdiu vel furiosus sanitatem vel ille sanos mores receperit: quod si evenerit, ipso iure desinunt esse in potestate curatorum. 1Curatio autem eius, cui bonis interdicitur, filio negabatur permittenda: sed extat divi Pii rescriptum filio potius curationem permittendam in patre furioso, si tam probus sit.
1 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book I. By the Law of the Twelve Tables, the administration of his own property is forbidden to a spendthrift. This provision had previously been introduced by custom. In our day, however, where Prætors or Governors encounter a man of this kind, who regards neither time nor limit, so far as expenditures are concerned, but wastes his property by dissipating and squandering it, they appoint a curator for him just as they do for an insane person, and both continue under curatorship, until the insane person recovers his senses, or the spendthrift conducts himself properly. Whenever this takes place, the parties, by operation of law, cease to be under the supervision of their curators. 1The curatorship of one who was forbidden to dispose of his property was formerly refused to his son. However, a Rescript of the Divine Pius is extant in which he declares that curatorship should be granted by preference to a son, where his father is insane, provided the former is a man of integrity.
2 Paulus libro primo de officio proconsulis. Sed et aliis dabit proconsul curatores, qui rebus suis superesse non possunt, vel dari iubebit, nec dubitabit filium quoque patri curatorem dari.
2 Paulus, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book I. The Proconsul must appoint, or order to be appointed, curators for other persons who cannot attend to their own affairs; and he will not hesitate to appoint a son the curator of his father.
3 Ulpianus libro trigesimo primo ad Sabinum. Dum deliberant heredes instituti adire, bonis a praetore curator datur.
3 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXXI. The Prætor appoints a curator for an estate while the appointed heirs are deliberating whether they will accept it.
4 Idem libro trigesimo octavo ad Sabinum. Furiosae matris curatio ad filium pertinet: pietas enim parentibus, etsi inaequalis est eorum potestas, aequa debebitur.
4 The Same, On Sabinus, Book XXXVIII. The curatorship of an insane mother belongs to her son, for equal filial affection is due to both parents although their authority is not the same.
5 Gaius libro nono ad edictum provinciale. Curator ex senatus consulto constituitur, cum clara persona, veluti senatoris vel uxoris eius, in ea causa sit, ut eius bona venire debeant: nam ut honestius ex bonis eius quantum potest creditoribus solveretur, curator constituitur distrahendorum bonorum gratia vel a praetore vel in provinciis a praeside.
5 Gaius, On the Provincial Edict, Book IX. A curator is appointed under the Decree of the Senate where the person is illustrious, as in the case of a Senator or his wife; and there is reason for their property to be sold in order that their creditors may be paid honestly out of it, as far as possible; and a curator is appointed either by the Prætor or by the Governor of the province for the purpose of disposing of the property.
6 Ulpianus libro primo de omnibus tribunalibus. Observare praetorem oportebit, ne cui temere citra causae cognitionem plenissimum curatorem det, quoniam plerique vel furorem vel dementiam fingunt, quo magis curatore accepto onera civilia detrectent.
6 Ulpianus, On All Tribunals, Book I. The Prætor must be careful not to appoint a curator rashly and without the most thorough investigation of the case, since many persons feign madness or insanity in order that, by the appointment of a curator, they may the more readily evade their civil obligations.
7 Iulianus libro vicesimo primo digestorum. Consilio et opera curatoris tueri debet non solum patrimonium, sed et corpus ac salus furiosi. 1Curator dementi datus decreto interposito, uti satisdaret, non cavit et tamen quasdam res de bonis eius legitimo modo alienavit. si heredes dementis easdem res vindicent, quas curator alienavit, et exceptio opponetur ‘si non curator vendiderit’, replicatio dari debet ‘aut si satisdatione interposita secundum decretum vendiderit’. quod si pretio accepto curator creditores furiosi dimisit, triplicatio doli tutos possessores praestabit. 2Cum dementis curatorem, quia satis non dederat et res male administraret, proconsul removerit a bonis aliumque loco eius substituerit curatorem, et hic posterior, cum nec ipse satisdedisset, egerit cum remoto negotiorum gestorum, posteaque heredes dementis cum eodem negotiorum gestorum agant et is exceptione rei iudicatae inter se et curatorem utatur: heredibus replicatio danda erit: ‘aut si is qui egit satisdederat’. sed an replicatio curatori profutura esset, iudex aestimabit: nam si curator sequens pecuniam, quam ex condemnatione consecutus fuerat, in rem furiosi vertisset, doli triplicatio obstabit. 3Quaesitum est, an alteri ex curatoribus furiosi recte solvetur vel an unus rem furiosi alienare possit. respondi recte solvi. eum quoque, qui ab altero ex curatoribus fundum furiosi legitime mercaretur, usucapturum, quia solutio venditio traditio facti magis quam iuris sunt ideoque sufficit unius ex curatoribus persona, quia intellegitur alter consentire: denique si praesens sit et vetet solvi, vetet venire vel tradi, neque debitor liberabitur neque emptor usucapiet.
7 Julianus, Digest, Book XXI. Not only the estate, but also the person and the safety of one who is insane, must be protected by the advice and exertions of his curator. 1A curator was appointed for an insane person, and a decree issued requiring him to give security which he did not do, and, nevertheless, he alienated certain property of the insane person in accordance with the legal formalities. The heirs of said insane person brought an action to recover the property which the curator had alienated, and an exception on the ground that the curator had not sold the property was interposed. In this case, a replication should be granted that he had sold the property without furnishing security in accordance with the decree. If, however, the curator had paid the creditors of the insane person the price received for the property, a triplication on the ground of bad faith will render the possessors secure. 2Where the Proconsul removed the curator of an insane person from the administration of the property of the latter for the reason that he had not furnished security, and had transacted the business of the trust improperly, and substituted another curator in his stead, the latter, who himself did not furnish security, brought an action based on voluntary agency against the curator who had been removed, and afterwards when the heirs of the said insane person brought suit on the ground of voluntary agency against the second curator, the latter pleaded an exception based upon the settlement of the case between them and his predecessor, the heirs should be granted the right to reply that he himself had not given security when he brought the action. The judge, however, must determine whether such a reply would be of any benefit to the curator, for if the second curator had employed the money which he had recovered by a judgment against the first, for the benefit of the property of the insane person, a triplication on the ground of fraud can be interposed. 3The question arose whether payment can legally be made to one of the curators of an insane person, and whether one of them can alienate his property. I answered that such payment would be legal, and that the party who purchased, with the proper formalities, any land belonging to an insane person from one of several curators, could obtain the right to the same by prescription; because payment, sale, and delivery are rather matters of fact than of law, and therefore the act of one of the curators is sufficient, for the reason that the other is understood to consent. Hence, if the other curator is present and opposes the payment, or delivery, the debtor is not released from liability, nor can the purchaser obtain the property by prescription.
8 Ulpianus libro sexto de officio proconsulis. Bonorum ventris nomine curatorem dari oportet eumque rem salvam fore viri boni arbitratu satisdare proconsul iubet: sed hoc, si non ex inquisitione detur: nam si ex inquisitione, cessat satisdatio.
8 Ulpianus, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book VI. A curator must be appointed for the property of an unborn child, and the Proconsul, in order that it may be safe, requires him to give security such as would be accepted by a reliable man. This is the case where the appointment is not made after investigation, for if an investigation takes place security will not be necessary.
9 Neratius libro primo membranarum. Cuius bonis distrahendis curatores facere senatus permisit, eius bona creditoribus vendere non permisit, quamvis creditores post id beneficium bona vendere mallent: sicut enim integra re potestas ipsorum est utrum velint eligendi, ita cum alterum elegerint, altero abstinere debent. multoque magis id servari aequum est, si etiam factus est curator, per quem bona distraherentur, quamvis nondum explicato eo negotio decesserit. nam et tunc ex integro alius curator faciendus est neque heres prioris curatoris onerandus, cum accidere possit, ut negotio vel propter sexus vel propter aetatis infirmitatem vel propter dignitatem maiorem minoremve, quam in priore curatore spectata erat, habilis non sit, possint etiam plures heredes ei existere neque aut per omnes id negotium administrari expediat aut quicquam dici possit, cur unus aliquis ex his potissimum onerandus sit.
9 Neratius, Parchments, Book I. When the Senate permits the appointment of curators for the sale of property, it does not authorize the creditors to dispose of the same, even though they prefer to sell it after this privilege has been granted; as, while the latter have the right to choose whichever one they may desire, still, after they have selected one curator, they must not apply to another. It is much more just for this rule to be observed where the curator, after having been appointed for the sale of property, dies before the transaction has been concluded; for, in this instance, another curator must be appointed for the settlement of the entire matter, and the heir of the first curator cannot be entrusted with it, since it may happen that the heir may not be fitted for the business, either on account of sex, or the infirmity of age, or the higher or lower rank, of the former curator; and, moreover, there may be several heirs to the first curator, and it may not be expedient for all of them to transact the business, or some reason may be alleged why one of them should be charged with this duty rather than the others.
10 Ulpianus libro sexto decimo ad edictum. Iulianus scribit eos, quibus per praetorem bonis interdictum est, nihil transferre posse ad aliquem, quia in bonis non habeant, cum eis deminutio sit interdicta. 1Curator furiosi rem quidem suam quasi furiosi tradere poterit et dominium transferre: rem vero furiosi si quasi suam tradat, dicendum, ut non transferat dominium, quia non furiosi negotium gerens tradidit.
10 Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book XVI. Julianus says that those to whom the administration of their property has been forbidden by the Prætor can transfer nothing to anyone, because they have no control over the property, as they are excluded from the exercise of their civil rights. 1The curator of an insane person can legally deliver his own property as belonging to the said insane person, and transfer the ownership of the same; but if he should deliver the property of the insane person as belonging to himself, it must be said that he does not transfer the ownership, because he did not do so while transacting the affairs of the insane person.
11 Paulus libro septimo ad Plautium. Pignus a curatore furiosi datum valet, si utilitate furiosi exigente id fecit.
11 Paulus, On Plautius, Book VII. A pledge given by the curator of an insane person is valid, if this was done because the benefit of the latter required it.
12 Marcellus libro primo digestorum. Ab adgnato vel alio curatore furiosi rem furiosi dedicari non posse constat: adgnato enim furiosi non usquequaque competit rerum eius alienatio, sed quatenus negotiorum exigit administratio.
12 Marcellus, Digest, Book I. It is established that the property of an insane person cannot be dedicated to religious purposes by an agnate, or any other curator of the former; for the agnate of an insane person has not an absolute right to alienate his property, but can only do so where the administration of his affairs demands it.
13 Gaius libro tertio ad edictum provinciale. Saepe ad alium e lege duodecim tabularum curatio furiosi aut prodigi pertinet, alii praetor administrationem dat, scilicet cum ille legitimus inhabilis ad eam rem videatur.
13 Gaius, On the Provincial Edict, Book III. The curatorship of a madman or a spendthrift is, by a law of the Twelve Tables, often granted to another person than a relative, and the Prætor may confer the administration of his estate upon another; namely, where the party specified by the law appears to be unsuited for the management of the trust.
14 Papinianus libro quinto responsorum. Virum uxori mente captae curatorem dari non oportet.
14 Papinianus, Opinions, Book V. A husband must not be appointed the curator of his wife when she is of unsound mind.
15 Paulus libro tertio sententiarum. Et mulieri, quae luxuriose vivit, bonis interdici potest. 1In bonis curatoris privilegium furiosi furiosaeve servatur: prodigus et omnes omnino, etiamsi in edicto non fit eorum mentio, in bonis curatoris decreto privilegium consequuntur.
15 Paulus, Sentences, Book III. The management of her own property can be forbidden to a woman who lives extravagantly. 1A privilege over the property of the curator is reserved for the benefit of an insane person of either sex. Spendthrifts, and all other persons, even though no mention is made of them in the Edict, are, by a decree, entitled to a similar privilege with reference to the property of a curator.
16 Tryphoninus libro tertio decimo disputationum. Si furioso puberi quamquam maiori annorum viginti quinque curatorem pater testamento dederit, eum praetor dare debet secutus patris voluntatem: manet enim ea datio curatoris apud praetorem, ut rescripto divi Marci continetur. 1His consequens est, ut et si prodigo curatorem dederit pater, voluntatem eius sequi debeat praetor eumque dare curatorem. sed utrum omnimodo, an ita, si futurum esset, ut, nisi pater aliquid testamento cavisset, praetor ei bonis interdicturus esset? et maxime si filios habeat iste prodigus? 2Potuit tamen pater et alias providere nepotibus suis, si eos iussisset heredes esse et exheredasset filium eique quod sufficeret alimentorum nomine ab eis certum legasset addita causa necessitateque iudicii sui: aut si non habuit in potestate nepotes, quoniam emancipato iam filio nati fuissent, sub condicione eos heredes instituere, ut emanciparentur a patre prodigo. 3Sed quid si nec ad hoc consensurus esset prodigus? sed per omnia iudicium testatoris sequendum est, ne, quem pater vero consilio prodigum credidit, eum magistratus propter aliquid forte suum vitium idoneum putaverit.
16 Tryphoninus, Disputations, Book XIII. Where a father by his will appoints a curator for his son who is insane, even though he may be over twenty-five years of age, the Prætor should confirm him in accordance with the wishes of his father; for the right to appoint a curator of this description is vested in the Prætor, as is stated in a Rescript of the Divine Marcus. 1The result of this is that where a father designates a curator for his son, who is a spendthrift, the Prætor should respect his wishes, and appoint the same curator. There is some doubt as to whether this rule is applicable to all cases; for where the father did not make any provision by will, should the Prætor forbid the said son to manage his property, especially where this spendthrift himself has children? 2The father has, nevertheless, another way by which to provide for his grandchildren, where he appoints them his heirs, and disinherits his sons; for he can bequeath to them a certain portion of his estate which will be sufficient for the support of his sons, stating the necessity and the reason which have impelled him to take this step; or if he has no grandchildren under his control, because they were born after the son was emancipated, he can appoint them his heirs, on the condition that they shall be emancipated by their spendthrift father. 3But what if the spendthrift father should not give his consent to their emancipation? The will of the testator must, by all means be observed, in order that the magistrate may not think that he whom the father, after proper reflection, considered a spendthrift, is a man of good business capacity in spite of his failing.
17 Gaius libro primo de manumissionibus. Curator furiosi nullo modo libertatem praestare potest, quod ea res ex administratione non est: nam in tradendo ita res furiosi alienat, si id ad administrationem negotiorum pertineat: et ideo si donandi causa alienet, neque traditio quicquam valebit, nisi ex magna utilitate furiosi hoc cognitione iudicis faciat.
17 Gaius, On Manumissions, Book I. The curator of an insane person can under no circumstances grant freedom to his slave, because this is a matter not included in his administration; for, in disposing of the property of the insane person, he only alienates it where it relates to the management of the affairs of his trust, and therefore, if he alienates any property by way of a donation, the transfer will be of no effect, unless he does this on account of some great advantage it affords the insane person, after an investigation has been made by the court.