Legal Definitions - vicem fructuum obtinere

The Latin phrase vicem fructuum obtinere historically means "to take the place of fruits." In a legal context, this concept describes an income or benefit that serves as a substitute for the natural produce, yield, or direct profits generated by an asset or property. It signifies a secondary form of return that stands in for the primary, natural output or benefit.

• Rental Income from Property: Imagine a property owner who leases out a commercial building. The natural "fruits" of owning the building might be considered its direct use and occupation by the owner for their own business. However, by renting the building to a tenant, the owner receives regular rental payments. These rental payments vicem fructuum obtinere – they take the place of the owner's direct use, providing a monetary yield that substitutes for the primary benefit of occupying the space.

• Dividends from Stock Ownership: Consider an individual who owns shares in a publicly traded company. The "fruits" of the corporation's operations are its overall profits, products, and services. Instead of directly participating in the daily business or taking a share of the physical goods produced, the shareholder receives dividends. These dividends vicem fructuum obtinere, representing a portion of the company's profits distributed to shareholders, thereby standing in for the direct produce or operational gains of the business.

• Royalties from Intellectual Property: A musician composes a song and licenses it to a record label for commercial use. The "fruits" of their creative work could be seen as the direct performance of the song or the sale of physical copies they produce themselves. However, by licensing the song, the musician receives royalty payments each time the song is played on the radio, streamed online, or used in a film. These royalties vicem fructuum obtinere, serving as the financial return that replaces the direct commercial exploitation of their musical creation by the artist.