Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: LIBRIPENS
Definition: A libripens is a person who holds a bronze balance during important sales ceremonies in ancient Rome. The purchaser strikes the balance with a piece of bronze to show that the sale is complete, and the seller receives the bronze as payment. This was a formal way of transferring property, and required the presence of witnesses and the thing being sold.
Definition: A libripens is a person who holds a bronze balance during actual or ritual sales in Roman law. They are also known as scale-holders.
Example: During the ceremony of emancipating a son from his father or conveying important property, a libripens would hold the bronze balance. The purchaser would strike the balance with a piece of bronze to symbolize completion of the sale. The seller would then receive the bronze as a sign of the purchase money.
Explanation: The libripens played an important role in Roman law as they ensured that the sale was completed fairly and accurately. The use of the bronze balance was a symbolic gesture to show that the transaction was complete. The libripens would also be present during the mancipation, which was a legal formality for transferring property by either an actual or a simulated purchase. The presence of the libripens and other witnesses ensured that the transfer of property was done in a formal and legal manner.
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