Legal Definitions - solvere

Solvere is a Latin term originating from Roman law that describes the act of fulfilling or discharging an obligation. It primarily refers to paying a debt or releasing a person from a legal duty or commitment. Essentially, it signifies the completion of what was owed or promised, thereby bringing an obligation to an end.

• Settling a Financial Obligation: Imagine a Roman farmer who borrowed a sum of money from a wealthy landowner to purchase new seeds for the planting season. When the harvest comes in, the farmer sells a portion of his crops and uses the proceeds to return the exact amount of money to the landowner as agreed.

  The farmer's act of repaying the loan fully demonstrates solvere. By handing over the money, the farmer has fulfilled his financial obligation, thereby discharging the debt and bringing the lending agreement to a close.

• Releasing from a Service Agreement: Consider a scenario where a Roman citizen, known for their carpentry skills, promised to build a new set of shelves for a neighbor's library by a certain date. Before the work begins, the neighbor inherits a pre-built set of shelves and informs the carpenter that their services are no longer needed for that particular task.

  In this situation, the neighbor's decision to tell the carpenter that the work is no longer required constitutes solvere. The neighbor has released the carpenter from the obligation to build the shelves, effectively dissolving the agreement and freeing the carpenter from that specific commitment.

• Redeeming a Pledged Item: Suppose a Roman artisan, needing a temporary loan, pledged a valuable family heirloom to a moneylender as security. After a few months, the artisan earns enough money to repay the loan in full, and upon receiving the payment, the moneylender returns the heirloom.

  The artisan's act of repaying the loan is an instance of solvere. This payment fulfills the financial obligation, which in turn obligates the moneylender to release the pledged heirloom, thereby releasing the artisan's property from the lien and completing the transaction.