Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat Siman 22

Siman 22

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א מי שקבל עליו קרוב ופסול ודין שבועה והפוכה. ובו ג סעיפים: מי שקבל עליו קרוב או פסול בין להיותו דיין בין להיותו עד עליו: הגה ולא מיקרי קבלה אא"כ קבלו לדונו אבל אם השליש בידו מעות שדנין עליו לא מקרי קבלה (ריב"ש סי' שי"א) אפי' קבל א' מהפסולים בעבירה כשני עדים כשרים להעיד עליו או כג' ב"ד מומחים לדון לו: הגה וי"ח וס"ל דדוקא אם קבל קרוב או פסול בדיין אחד או בעד אחד אבל אם קבלו בתרי דאיכא תרתי לריעותא אפי' אחר גמר דין יכול לחזור בו וכן הסכמת רוב הפוסקים אבל אם קנו מידו בכל ענין לא יוכל לחזור: בין שקבל על עצמו לאבד זכיותיו ולמחול מה שהיה טוען על פיהן בין שקבל עליו שיתן כל מה שיטעון עליו חבירו בעדות זה הפסול או בדינו אם קנו מידו על זה אינו יכול לחזור בו ואם לא קנו מידו יכול לחזור בו עד שיגמור הדין: ולעיל סי' י"ב ס"ב נתבאר איזה מקרי גמר דין ולענין עדות מיד שהעידו לא יוכל לחזור בו (ריב"ש סי' ת"צ ומרדכי) נגמר הדין אינו יכול לחזור בו והוא שלא נודע שטעו (מיהו אם הם ממונים בעיר או טובי העיר לא יוכל לחזור כי כן נוהגים דכל מה שאדם מקבל לפני ראשי העיר שלא יוכל לחזור בו) (תשו' מיימוני סוף שופטים) ואם כופר ואומר לא קבלתי עלי לדון ואין עדים בדבר ישבע שלא קבלו עליו אפי' אם הדיין מכחישו ואמר שקבלו עליו: (רבים שהמחו עליהם דיינים דלא גמירי אין בעלי דינים יכולים לעכב) ר' ירוחם נ"ב ח' י"ג:
1 One [of the litigants] who accepted a relative or an [otherwise] ineligible person to act as a Judge or a witness — Rema: the acceptance is regarded [ valid ] only when [ the litigant ] accepted him to act as Judge; but if he deposited money with him regarding which they were in dispute, it is not designated [ valid ] acceptance — even if he accepted one of those ineligible on account of sin as [equivalent to] two eligible witnesses to testify on his behalf or [he accepted him] as three of a Court of Law [of] authoritative [Judges] to adjudicate [the case] for him. Rema: Some differ [ with this ruling ] and are of the opinion that [ this is applicable ] only if he accepted a relative or an [ otherwise ] ineligible person as one Judge or as one witness; but if he accepted him as two [ witnesses or as three authoritative Judges ] in which case there are two irregularities — [ the law is that ] even after the legal proceedings are closed, he may retract. Thus is the common consent of the majority of the Codifiers. However, if they made a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan, in nowise may he retract. Whether he accepted to forfeit his rights and to remit whatever he claimed in accordance with their verdict or he accepted to pay whatever claim his fellow [-litigant] will make against him according to the evidence of this ineligible person or according to his legal decision — [the law is that] if they made a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan relative to this [matter], he cannot retract; but if they did not make a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan, he can retract before the legal proceedings are closed. Supra § 12, 2 it has been explained what is considered the close of legal proceedings. And as to the matter of evidence, — [ the law is that ] as soon as [ the witnesses ] have testified, he cannot retract. [As soon as] the legal proceedings are closed, he cannot retract provided it did not become known that [the Judges] erred [in their decision]. However, if they are [ the ] duly appointed [ Judges ] in the city or the representatives of the town, he cannot retract, for thus is the adopted practice [ viz., ] that whatever a person accepts before the heads of the town, he cannot retract. If [the litigant] denies [this] and states, 'I did not accept [him] to act as Judge,' and there are no witnesses [to confirm this] statement, he must take an oath that he did not accept him [as Judge] even if the Judge contradicts him and stated that he [the litigant] did accept him. [ In the case of ] a public that has recognized unlearned Judges as authorities over them, the litigants cannot prevent [ them from trying their case ].
ב אם קבל עליו עדות עכו"ם כמי שקבל עליו עדות אחד מהפסולים אבל אם קבל עליו עכו"ם לדיין אפי' קנו מיניה אין הקנין כלום ואסור לדון לפניו (אבל אם כבר דן לפניו לא יוכל לחזור בו) (מרדכי ר"פ זה בורר):
2 If he accepted the testimony of a heathen it is as though he accepted the testimony of one of the ineligible persons. However, if he accepted the heathen as a Judge, [then] even if they made an agreement with him [the litigant] by means of a Kinyan, the agreement has no legal consequences, and it is forbidden to be tried before him. But if he had already been tried before him, he cannot retract.
ג מי שנתחייב לחבירו שבועה בב"ד ואמר לו השבע לי בחיי ראשך והפטר או השבע לי בחיי ראשך ואתן לך כל מה שתטעון אם קנו מידו אינו יכול לחזור בו ואם לא קנו מידו יכול לחזור בו עד שיגמר הדין נגמר הדין ונשבע כמו שאמר ליה א"י לחזור בו וחייב לשלם וה"ה למי שנתחייב שבועת היסת והפכה אם קנו מידו או אם נשבע זה שנהפכה עליו א"י לחזור בו וה"ה במי שלא היה חייב שבועה ואמר אשבע לך שבועה אם קנו מידו א"י לחזור בו ואם לא קנו מידו אע"פ שקבל בב"ד חוזר עד שיגמור הדין וישבע: הגה מי שמחוייב לישבע ואמר לפני ב"ד איני רוצה לישבע אלא הריני משלם ויצא חוץ לב"ד אינו יכול לחזור בו דזה הוה גמר דין דידיה ויש חולקין (ע' בטור) מי שנתחייב לחבירו שבועה דאורייתא ואמר לחבירו השבע וטול ונשבע בלא נטילת חפץ לא יוכל לחזור בו (ב"י):
3 One who was under obligation to his fellow to take an oath in Court and [the latter] said, 'Swear to me by the life of your head and be exempt,' or 'Swear to me by the life of your head and I will pay you whatever you claim,' — [then] if they made a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan, he cannot retract; and if they did not make a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan, he can retract until the legal proceedings are closed. Once the legal proceedings are closed and he took the oath as stated to him [by his fellow-litigant], he cannot retract and is obliged to make payment. Likewise one who was under obligation to take an equitable oath and transferred it [the oath] to his opponent, — [then] if they made a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan or if the party to whom it was transferred took the oath, he cannot retract. So too, one who was not obliged to take an oath and stated, 'I will take an oath,' — [then] if they made a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan, he cannot retract; and if they did not make a formal agreement with him by means of a Kinyan, although he accepted in [the presence of] the Court [to take the oath], he may retract until the legal proceedings are closed and [only thereafter] he must take the oath. Rema: One who is under obligation to take an oath and stated before the Court of Law, 'I desire not to take an oath, I am prepared to make payment,' and [ then ] left the Court of Law, — [ the law is that ] he cannot retract for this is regarded the close of his legal proceedings. Some [ authorities ], however, differ [ with this view ]. One who was under obligation to his fellow to take a Biblical oath and he said to the latter, 'Take an oath and collect,' and [ then the latter hurriedly ] took an oath without holding a [ sacred ] object, — [ the law is that ] he [ the defendant ] cannot retract.
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