Legal Definitions - confusio bonorum

Definition: Confusio bonorum is a legal term that refers to the confusion of goods. It occurs when things of the same nature but belonging to different owners are mixed together, making it impossible to identify the original owners of the goods.

If the mixing of goods is done with the consent of all owners, they become owners in common. However, if one person willfully mixes goods without consent, they lose all rights to the property unless:

1. The goods can be distinguished and separated among owners
2. The mixing person's goods are equal in value to the goods with which they were intermingled

Confusion of goods is a combination of the civil-law concepts of confusio (a mixture of liquids) and commixtio (a mixture of dry items).

Examples:

• Two farmers accidentally mix their wheat harvests together. They can still be identified and separated, so they remain the property of their respective owners.
• A store owner intentionally mixes their inventory with stolen goods. They lose all rights to their inventory unless they can prove which items were originally theirs.

These examples illustrate how confusion of goods can occur accidentally or intentionally and how it can affect ownership rights.