Novels

civ. law. The name given to some constitutions or laws of some of the Roman emperors; this name was so given because they were new or posterior to the laws which they had before published. The novels were made to supply what had not been foreseen in the preceding laws, or to amend or alter the laws in force. ’ Although the Novels of Justinian are the best known, and when the word Novels only is mentioned, those of Justinian are always intended, he was not the first who gave the name of Novels to his constitutions and laws. Some of the acts of 'Theodosius, Valentinien, Leo, Severus, Anthemius, and others, were also called Novels. But the Novels of the emperors who preceded Justinian had not the force of law, after the enactment of the law by order of that Code of Justinian having been !composed mainly from the Theodosian Code and the Novels, the latter frequently remove doubts which arise the construction of the Code. Novels of Justinian form the fourth part of the Corpus Juris Civilis. ‘They are directed either to some officer, or an archbishop or bishop, or to some private individual of Constantinople: but they all had the force and authority of law. The number of the Novels is uncertain. The 118th Novel is the foundation and groundwork of the English statute of distribution of intestates’ effects, which has been copied into many states of the Union. Vide 1 Wms. 27; Pr. in Chan. 593.