INCERTA PERSONA

incerta persona (in-s<<schwa>>r-t<<schwa>> p<<schwa>>r-soh-n<<schwa>>). [Latin “uncertain person”] Roman law. A person (or corporate body) that could not inherit property, such as a person whose existence was uncertain or whom the testator could not identify by name (such as the first person to appear at the testator’s funeral). Pl. incertae personae.

“Another change under Justinian was of much greater importance. Gifts of all kinds could now be made to incertae personae….” W.W. Buckland, A Text-Book of Roman Law from Augustus to Justinian 363 (Peter Stein ed., 3d ed. 1963).

[Blacks Law 8th]