Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

Corpus Juris Canonici

[Latin] Hist. The body of the canon law, compiled from the decrees and canons of the Roman Catholic Church. & The Corpus Juris Canonici emerged during the 12th century, beginning with the publication of Gratian's Decretum (1141-1150). In addition to the Decretum, it includes Raymond of Pennaforte's Liber Extra (1234), the Liber Sextus of Pope Boniface VIII (1298), the Clementines of Pope Clement V (1313), the Extrauagantes Joannis of Pope John NMI (1325), and extrauagantes published by Pope John's successors (1499-1502). In 1582, the entire collection was edited by a commission of church dignitaries and officially named the Corpus Juris Canonici. It remained the Catholic Church's primary body of law until the promulgation of the Code of Canon Law in 1917, now replaced by that of 1983.