Corpus Juris Civilis

American  

[kawr-puhs joor-is si-vahy-lis, si-vil-is] / ˈkɔr pəs ˈdʒʊər ɪs sɪˈvaɪ lɪs, sɪˈvɪl ɪs /

noun

1. the collective title of the body of ancient Roman law as compiled and codified under the emperor Justinian in the 6th century a.d.: comprises the Digest, the Institutes, the Justinian Code, and the Novels.

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Corpus Juris Civilis British  

/ sɪˈvaɪlɪs /

noun

1. law the body of Roman or civil law consolidated by Justinian in the 6th century _ad. It consists of four parts, the Institutes, Digest, Code, and Novels

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Etymology

Origin of Corpus Juris Civilis

1890–95; < New Latin: literally, body of civil law

Example Sentences

It is here that we must stop and consider that when the English transition to statutory law finally got rolling in the mid-1500s, the extremely detailed and sophisticated Corpus Juris Civilis had been on papyrus for over a millennium.

From Forbes

When the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I commanded that great compilation or Roman Law known as the Corpus Juris Civilis, or more commonly the Civil Code, the accompanying commentary known as the Institutes of Justinian gave a very detailed treatment of fraudulent transfer law which in substance is little changed from when those Institutes were published in the year 533 A.D.

From Forbes

The great Corpus Juris Civilis, that comprehensive restatement of Roman law which was mandated by the Emperor Justinian I, carefully abstracted by a team assembled by Tribonion from over 2,000 books written by some 39 selected Roman legal scholars such as Ulpian and Gaius, and issued in various parts from 529 to 534 A.D., set forth the basic principles of corporate law.

From Forbes

We of to-day must not regard the last three passages cited from the Corpus Juris Civilis as particularly reprehending the property of the master in his slave.

From Project Gutenberg

But the actual enactment of the corpus juris civilis fortifies slavery as it had been established all over the world by the jus gentium with these plain words: “The master has power of life and death over his slave; and whatever property the slave acquires, he acquires for the master.”

From Project Gutenberg