Legal Definitions - legem ferre

Legem ferre is a Latin term originating from ancient Roman law. It literally translates to "to carry the proposal" and describes the fundamental process by which new laws were introduced and established within the Roman Republic and Empire.

The term encompasses two distinct, yet related, stages of the legislative process:

• Proposing a law: This refers to the act of a magistrate or official formally presenting a new legislative idea, bill, or policy to one of the popular assemblies (gatherings of Roman citizens empowered to vote on laws).
• Enacting a law: This describes the final step of making a proposed bill into official, binding law after it had been debated, approved, and voted upon by the popular assembly.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of legem ferre:

• Imagine a Roman consul, Publius, observes widespread public discontent regarding the allocation of public lands. He drafts a detailed proposal outlining reforms to land distribution and presents it to the Comitia Centuriata, one of the major popular assemblies. By formally introducing this bill for the citizens' consideration and vote, Publius is engaging in legem ferre, specifically in the act of proposing a law.

• Following weeks of debate and amendments, a bill introduced by a tribune, Gaius, aimed at protecting debtors from excessive interest rates, finally receives a majority vote in the Concilium Plebis (the assembly of the plebeians). The subsequent official declaration that this bill is now a binding statute, enforceable throughout Roman territory, represents the enactment of a law, which is also an aspect of legem ferre.

• A group of Roman senators, concerned about the rising cost of imported goods, collaborates to draft a new tariff regulation. They persuade a praetor, Lucius, to formally introduce this regulation to the Senate, which would then pass it on to a popular assembly for final approval. Lucius's action of formally presenting the tariff regulation to the legislative body is an instance of legem ferre, as he is proposing a law for consideration and eventual enactment.