Legal Definitions - litem suam facere

Term: Litem suam facere
Definition: Litem suam facere is a Latin term that means "to make a suit one's own." In Roman law, it refers to the failure of a judex to perform his official duty properly, such as not following the correct procedure or not adhering to the formula. This failure is considered misconduct, and a litigant can take legal action against the judex. The scope of actionable misconduct is not clear, but it may include accepting bribes or other corrupt acts.
Example: If a judex in a court case does not follow the correct procedure or formula, he is said to have litem suam facere. For example, if a judex accepts a bribe from one of the parties involved in the case, he is not performing his official duty properly and can be sued for misconduct.