Legal Definitions - unum quid

Unum quid refers to a concept where several distinct items are considered and treated as a single, unified entity for a particular purpose, often in a legal, commercial, or practical context.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: A Collection of Rare Stamps

  Imagine a collector who owns a complete series of rare, sequential postage stamps from a specific historical period. While each stamp is individually distinct, they are often valued, bought, and sold as an unum quid – a single, complete collection. Breaking up the series by selling individual stamps might significantly reduce the overall historical and market value of the entire set, as its completeness is a key aspect of its worth.

• Example 2: A Custom-Built Computer System

  When a company sells a custom-built computer system, it typically includes the computer tower, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Although these are physically separate components, they are marketed, sold, and often warrantied as an unum quid – a single, functional computing unit. For the purpose of purchase, shipping, or technical support, the customer interacts with them as one integrated product rather than four individual items.

• Example 3: A Multi-Volume Encyclopedia

  Consider a multi-volume encyclopedia set, where each book covers a specific range of topics. Even though there are many individual books, they are published, sold, and intended to be used as an unum quid – a comprehensive reference work. If one volume is lost or damaged, the integrity and utility of the entire set are compromised, and the remaining volumes might lose significant value as a result of the incompleteness.