Legal Definitions - litem denuntiare

Litem Denuntiare

Litem denuntiare is a Latin term that means "to announce a suit." In Roman law, it refers to two things:

1. The summoning of a defendant by a magistrate who is investigating a case in the late classical period.
2. The notification by a buyer to the seller of a claim by a third party to the things sold.

It is also spelled as litem denunciare and is similar to the term litis denuntiatio.

Example 1: In ancient Rome, if a magistrate was investigating a case, they would summon the defendant using litem denuntiare.

Example 2: If you buy a car from someone and later find out that someone else has a claim to it, you can use litem denuntiare to notify the seller of the claim.

These examples illustrate how litem denuntiare was used in Roman law to summon defendants and notify sellers of claims by third parties.