Legal Definitions - lex Atinia

Definition: Lex Atinia is a law in Roman law that states that a prescriptive right cannot be acquired in stolen property. This law was enacted in the late third or early second century B.C. It is also known as Atinian law.

Example: If someone steals a car and sells it to another person, the new owner cannot claim ownership of the car under the Lex Atinia law. Even if the new owner has possessed the car for a long time, they cannot acquire a prescriptive right to it because it was stolen property.

The Lex Atinia law is important in protecting the rights of the original owner of stolen property. It ensures that stolen property cannot be acquired through possession or use over time.