Lat Answers of jurists; responses given upon cases or questions of law referred to them, by cer-tain learned Roman jurists, who, though not magistrates, were authorized to render such opinions. These responsa constituted one of the most important sources of the earlier Roman law, and were of great value in de-veloping its scientific accuracy. They held much the same place of authority as our modern precedents and reports
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
