DILIGENTIA

diligentia    (dil-<<schwa>>-jen-shee-<<schwa>>),    n.[Latin]    Roman    law.    Carefulness;

diligence. • The failure to exercise diligentia might make a person liable if contractually obliged to

look   after   another’s   interests,   or   it   might   result   in   tort   liability.   See   DILIGENCE.   Cf.

“The  texts  distinguish  two  standards  of  diligence,  a  higher  and  a  lower.  The  higher  is  the

diligence which the good father of a family habitually exhibits in his own affairs (diligentia exacta

or  exactissima  —  diligentia  boni  patrisfamilias). The  lower  is the  diligence  which  the  person  in

question  exhibits in  his own affairs (diligentia quam suis rebus). This  may, in  fact, reach a  high

degree  of  diligence  or  it  may  not.  But,  at  least,  where  this  standard  is  applied  nothing

extraordinary is expected. It is a concrete standard. It is enough that the person in question pursues

his normal course. According to a traditional terminology, where the first standard is applied, there

is said to be liability for culpa levis in abstracto — slight negligence in the abstract; in the second

case there is liability for culpa levis in concreto — slight negligence in the concrete.” R.W. Lee,

The Elements of Roman Law 288 (4th ed. 1956).

diligentia           exactissima           (dil-<<schwa>>-jen-shee-<<schwa>>           eks-ak-tis-<<

schwa>>-m<<schwa>>).  [Latin]  Extraordinary  diligence  that  a  head  of  a  family  habitually

exercises  in  business.  —  Also  termed  diligentia  exacta;  diligentia  boni  patrisfamilias.  See

extraordinary diligence under DILIGENCE.

diligentia  media  (dil-i-jen-shee-<<schwa>>  mee-dee-<<schwa>>).  [Law  Latin]  Scots  law.

Middle level of diligence; the level of diligence that a person of ordinary prudence exercises in his

or       her       own       affairs.       —       Also       termed       diligentia       quam       suis       rebus

(dil-<<schwa>>-jen-shee-<<schwa>> kwam s[y]oo-is ree-b<<schwa>>s). See ordinary diligence

under DILIGENCE.

diligentia quam suis rebus.See diligentia media.

exacta diligentia (eg-zak-t<<schwa>> dil-<<schwa>>-jen-shee-<<schwa>>). [Latin] Roman

law. Great care. [Blacks Law 8th]