Legal Definitions - litteris obligatio

Litteris obligatio (pronounced lit-uh-ris ob-li-gey-shee-oh) is a term from Roman law that refers to an obligation that arises from written entries in account books or literal contracts.

When two or more parties enter into an agreement that creates enforceable obligations, it is called a contract. A contract can be in the form of a written document or an oral agreement. In the case of litteris obligatio, the obligation arises from written entries in account books or literal contracts.

For example, if a person borrows money from a lender and signs a written agreement to repay the loan with interest, it is a literal contract. If the lender keeps a record of the loan and the repayments in an account book, it becomes a litteris obligatio.

Another example could be a business that keeps track of its transactions with customers in an account book. If a customer owes the business money for goods or services, it becomes a litteris obligatio.

In summary, litteris obligatio is an obligation that arises from written entries in account books or literal contracts.