Responsa Prudentium

Answers of learned men; opinions of those learned in the law. These decisions or opinions of authorized jurisconsults were one of the principal sources of the Roman law, holding a place in the Roman jurisprudence somewhat similar to that occupied by precedents and reports of adjudged cases in the common law. The answers of learned men are the decisions and opinions of those that have been allowed to build up the laws. It was an institution of ancient times that there should be men to interpret the laws on behalf of the state. To them the emperor gave the right to answer, and they were called jurisconsults. The decisions and opinions of all of them held such authority, that, as has been settled, a judge could not lawfully depart from what they answered. Just. Inst. Book L 2. 8.