RES MANCIPI, Rom. civ. law. Those things which might be sold and alienated¹, or the property of them transferred from one person to another. The division of things in to res mancipi and res nec mancipi, was one of ancient origin, and it continued to a late period in the empire. Res mancipi (Ulph. Frag. xix.) are praedia in italico solo, both rustic² and urban also, jura rusticorum praediorum or servitutes, as via, iter, aquaeductus; also slaves, and four-footed animals, as oxen, horses, &c., qum collo dorsove domantur. Smith, Diet. Gr. and Rom. Antiq. To this list, may be added children of Roman parents, who were, according to the old law, res mancipi. The distinction between res mancipi and nec mancipi was abolished by Justinian in his code. Id.; Coop. Ins. 442.

RES NOVA. Something new; something not before decided³.

RES NULLIUS. A thing which has no owner. A thing which has been abandoned by its owner is as much res nullius as if it had never belonged to any one.

2. The first possessor of such a thing becomes the owner, res nullius fit primi occupantis. Bowy. Com. 97.

RES PERIT DOMINO The thing is lost to the owner. This phrase is used to express that when a thing is lost or destroyed, it is lost to the person who was the owner of it at the time. For example, an article is sold; if the seller have perfected the title of the buyer so that it is his, and it be destroyed, it is the buyer's loss; but if, on the contrary, something remains⁴ to be done before the title becomes vested in the buyer, then the loss falls on the seller. See Risk.

RES UNIVERSATIS. Those things which belong to cities or municipal corporations are so called; they belong so far to the public that they cannot be appropriated to private use; such as public squares, market houses, streets, and the like. 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 446.

RESALE. A second sale made of an article; as, for example, if A sell a horse to B, and the latter not having paid, for him, refuse to take him away, when by his contract he was bound to do so, and then A sells the horse to C.

2. The effect of a resale, is not always to annul⁵ the first sale, because, as in this case, B would be liable to A for the difference of the price between the sale and resale. 4 Bing. 722; Blackb. on Sales, 336; 4 M. & G. 898.