De publicis iudiciis
(On criminal prosecutions.)
1 Macer libro primo de publicis iudiciis. Non omnia iudicia, in quibus crimen vertitur, et publica sunt, sed ea tantum, quae ex legibus iudiciorum publicorum veniunt, ut Iulia maiestatis, Iulia de adulteriis, Cornelia de sicariis et veneficis, Pompeia parricidii, Iulia peculatus, Cornelia de testamentis, Iulia de vi privata, Iulia de vi publica, Iulia ambitus, Iulia repetundarum, Iulia de annona.
1 Macer, On Criminal Prosecutions, Book I. All cases in which crime is involved are not public, but only those which are derived from the laws relating to the prosecution of crimes, such as the Julian Law on Treason; the Julian Law on Adultery; the Cornelian Law on Assassins and Poisoners; the Pompeian Law on Parricide; the Julian Law on Peculation; the Cornelian Law on Wills; the Julian Law on Private Violence; the Julian Law on Public Violence; the Julian Law on the Bribery of Voters; the Julian Law on Extortion; and the Julian Law on Raising the Price of Food.
2 Paulus libro quinto decimo ad edictum praetoris. Publicorum iudiciorum quaedam capitalia sunt, quaedam non capitalia. capitalia sunt, ex quibus poena mors aut exilium est, hoc est aquae et ignis interdictio: per has enim poenas eximitur caput de civitate. nam cetera non exilia, sed relegationes proprie dicuntur: tunc enim civitas retinetur. non capitalia sunt, ex quibus pecuniaria aut in corpus aliqua coercitio poena est.
2 Paulus, On the Edict of the Prætor, Book XV. Some criminal offences are capital, and some are not. Those which are capital entail the punishment of exile or banishment; that is to say, the interdiction of water and fire. For, by these penalties the civil rights of the delinquent are lost, for the other penalties are properly termed relegation and not exile, for then the rights of citizenship are retained. Punishments which are not capital are those where the penalty is either pecuniary or corporeal.
3 Ulpianus libro trigensimo quinto ad Sabinum. Publica accusatio reo vel rea ante defunctis permittitur.
3 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXXV. A criminal prosecution is annulled by the death of the defendant of either sex.
4 Paulus libro trigensimo septimo ad edictum. Interdum evenit, ut praeiudicium iudicio publico fiat, sicut in actione legis Aquiliae et furti et vi bonorum raptorum et interdicto unde vi et de tabulis testamenti exhibendis: nam in his de re familiari agitur.
4 Paulus, On the Edict, Book XXXVII. It sometimes happens that a criminal prosecution is prejudiced, as in the action under the Aquilian Law; in the action of theft, and the one for property taken by violence; in the interdict Unde vi and in that to compel the production of a will; for in these cases private matters are concerned.
5 Ulpianus libro octavo disputationum. Is qui reus factus est purgare se debet nec ante potest accusare, quam fuerit excusatus: constitutionibus enim observatur, ut non relatione criminum, sed innocentia reus purgetur. 1Illud incertum est, utrum ita demum accusare potest, si fuerit liberatus, an et si poenam subierit: est enim constitutum ab imperatore nostro et divo patre eius post damnationem accusationem quem inchoare non posse. sed hoc puto ad eos demum pertinere, qui vel civitatem vel libertatem amiserunt. 2Inchoatas plane delationes ante damnationem implere eis et post damnationem permissum est.
5 Ulpianus, Disputations, Book VIII. When anyone is accused of crime, he must prove that he is not guilty, and he cannot accuse another before he himself has been acquitted; for it is set forth in the Imperial Constitutions that a defendant must be cleared, not by accusing others of crime, but by his own innocence. 1It is uncertain whether anyone can bring an accusation when he has been discharged, or when he has suffered punishment; for it was decided by our Emperor and his Divine Father that he could not begin an accusation after having been condemned. I think, however, that this only refers to those who have either lost their right to citizenship or their freedom. 2It is clear that accusations which have been begun before conviction can be completed afterwards.
6 Marcianus libro quarto decimo institutionum. Defuncto eo, qui reus fuit criminis, et poena extincta in quacumque causa criminis extincti debet is cognoscere, cuius de pecuniaria re cognitio est.
6 Marcianus, Institutes, Book XIV. Where a person who was accused of crime dies, and the penalty is extinguished, no matter in what condition the accusation of the extinguished crime may be, the magistrate who has jurisdiction of the pecuniary interest involved can proceed with the investigation.
7 Macer libro secundo iudiciorum publicorum. Infamem non ex omni crimine sententia facit, sed ex eo, quod iudicii publici causam habuit. itaque ex eo crimine, quod iudicii publici non fuit, damnatum infamia non sequetur, nisi id crimen ex ea actione fuit, quae etiam in privato iudicio infamiam condemnato importat, veluti furti, vi bonorum raptorum, iniuriarum.
7 Macer, Public Prosecutions, Book II. A sentence for every crime does not render a man infamous, but only such as have the character of public prosecutions. Hence infamy does not result from condemnation for a crime which is not the subject of public prosecution, unless the offence can be the subject of an action which, even in the case of a private judgment, brands the condemned party with infamy, as for instance, that of theft, that of robbery with violence, and that of injury.
8 Paulus libro singulari de iudiciis publicis. Ordo exercendorum publicorum capitalium in usu esse desiit, durante tamen poena legum, cum extra ordinem crimina probantur.
8 Paulus, Public Prosecutions. The order of conducting public prosecutions for capital offence is no longer in use; still the penalty prescribed by the laws exists, and the crimes are proved arbitrarily.
9 Marcianus libro primo de iudiciis publicis. Sciendum est, si in capitali causa suum servum reum crimine factum quis non defenderit, non eum pro derelicto haberi, et ideo, si absolutus fuerit, non liberum fieri, sed manere domini.
9 Marcianus, On Public Prosecutions, Book I. It must be remembered that if anyone should not defend his own slave, when he is accused of a capital crime, he will not be considered as having abandoned him; and therefore if the slave should be acquitted, he will not become free, but will still remain the property of his master.
10 Papinianus libro secundo definitionum. Inter accusatorem et reum cognitione suscepta excusatio pro absente iustis rationibus admittitur: nec per triduum per singulos dies ter citatus reus damnetur vel de accusatoris absentis praesente reo calumnia pronuntietur.
10 Papinianus, Definitions, Book II. While the case between the accuser and the defendant is pending in court, the excuse of absence for good reasons is admitted; and although the defendant may have been called three times a day for three days, he should not be condemned; or if the accuser should be absent and the defendant present, the former ought not be convicted of malicious prosecution.
11 Maecianus libro decimo de iudiciis publicis. Servus per procuratorem domini aeque ac per dominum defendi potest.
11 Marcianus, On Public Prosecutions, Book X. A slave can be defended by an attorney appointed by his master, just as well as by his master himself.
12 Modestinus libro tertio de poenis. Custodias auditurus tam clarissimos viros quam patronos causarum, si omnes in civitate provinciae quam regit agunt, adhibere debet. 1Et feriatis diebus custodias audiri posse rescriptum est, ita ut innoxios dimittat et nocentes, qui duriorem animadversionem indigent, differat.
12 Modestinus, On Punishments, Book III. The magistrate who is about to hear the cases of prisoners should invoke the aid of the most illustrious citizens, as well as of the most eminent advocates, if they all reside in the principal city of the province where he exercises jurisdiction. 1It is provided by a rescript that prisoners can be examined even on feast days, so that he may dismiss such as are innocent, and continue the cases of those who are guilty, and deserve severe punishment.
13 Papinianus libro quinto decimo responsorum. Accusatore defuncto res ab alio, iudicante praeside provinciae, peragi potest. 1Ad crimen iudicii publici persequendum frustra procurator intervenit, multoque magis ad defendendum: sed excusationes absentium ex senatus consulto iudicibus allegantur et, si iustam rationem habeant, sententia differtur.
13 Papinianus, Opinions, Book XV. If the accuser should die, the case can be prosecuted by another, if the Governor of the province considers this advisable. 1An agent will intervene to no purpose in the prosecution of a crime; and this applies still more forcibly to the defence. The excuses of absent persons can be presented to the judges in accordance with the terms of the Decree of the Senate, and if good reasons are given, the decision will be postponed.
14 Idem libro sexto decimo responsorum. Generi servis a socero veneficii accusatis praeses provinciae patrem calumniam intulisse pronuntiaverat. inter infames patrem defunctae non habendum respondi, quoniam et si publicum iudicium inter liberos de morte filiae constitisset, citra periculum pater vindicaretur.
14 The Same, Opinions, Book XVI. The slaves of a son-in-law having been accused by his father-in-law of administering poison, the Governor of the province decided that the father had been guilty of malicious prosecution. I gave it as my opinion that the father of the deceased should not be included among persons who are infamous, since although a criminal prosecution might be instituted by the children for the death of the daughter, the father could bring the accusation without any risk.