Addictio

Addictio, the act of a magistrate, the pr'tor in Civil Law. The addictio had different purposes: to enfranchise a slave (manumissio vindicta), to adopt a child, or to transfer the ownership of goods. The transfer of ownership by addictio was like the mancipatio an acquisitio civilis. Such an addictio might be pronounced, either when ownership is transferred by way of in jure cessio, or on the ground of a sale by public auction or upon succession, or for the purposes of an assignatio (magistral grant of ager publicus), or it might take the form of an 'adjudicatio,' the judge deciding a partition suit.