Exploring the Representation of an Imbecile in Financial Matters with an Emphasis on Article 667 of the Iranian Civil Code

فقه و اصول (Fiqh va uṣūl)

Article 3, Volume 56, Issue 3 - Serial Number 138, November 2024, Pages 61-82   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/jfiqh.2023.78177.1422

Authors

Mohammad Amin Fard¹; Mandana Mirzaei^{* 2}

¹Associate Professor, department of jurisprudence and fundamentals of Islamic Law, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

²PhD Student, department of jurisprudence and fundamentals of Islamic Law, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

Imāmī jurisprudence and Iranian Law hold that an imbecile (safīh) is a person who lacks the capacity to preserve his/her own wealth and does not utilize the assets in an appropriate manner. As so, the imbecile is legally restricted only in financial matters and in cases where he/she has to compensate for the assets. According to this view, the imbecile is prohibited from appointing a lawyer in financial matters or matters with financial implications, on the grounds that he/she lacks the legal capacity in matters that are not allowed for themselves. This is despite the fact that the imbecile can still receive a lawyer in financial matters or matters with financial implications. This view is not devoid of errors, since the imbecile is still deprived of strong awareness in the matter while receiving a lawyer. On the other hand, considering that “the lawyer must act in the constituent’s best interest” as articulated in Article 667, the representation of an imbecile is not problematic. The present study aims at clarifying the validity of this type of representation using the descriptive-analytical method and by citing library resources. It appears that the representation of an imbecile is not valid, because the criterion for this person’s inability to appoint a lawyer also applies to receiving a lawyer. Therefore, the requirements of Article 667 of the Civil Code are not fulfilled and receiving a lawyer is not allowed.

Keywords

imbecile; appointing a lawyer; receiving a lawyer; constituent’s best interest; Article 667 of the Civil Code; financial possession

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