Legal Definitions - pignoratio

pignoratio

Pignoratio is a legal term that has two meanings:

1. In Roman law, it refers to a contract where a debtor gives something to a creditor as security for a debt. This is called a pledge. For example, if you borrow money from a bank, you might have to give them your car as a pledge until you pay back the loan.
2. In civil law, it refers to the impounding of someone's animals that have caused damage to someone else's property. The owner of the animals has to pay for the damage before they can get their animals back. For example, if your cows escape from your farm and eat your neighbor's crops, your neighbor can impound your cows until you pay for the damage.

• Example 1: John borrowed $10,000 from the bank to buy a car. As part of the loan agreement, he had to give the bank his car as a pledge. This is an example of pignoratio in Roman law.
• Example 2: Sarah's dog dug a hole in her neighbor's yard. The neighbor impounded the dog until Sarah paid for the damage. This is an example of pignoratio in civil law.

These examples illustrate how pignoratio can be used in different legal contexts to ensure that debts are paid and damages are compensated for.