He must then ransom his child for the full appraised value determined on the day judgment is rendered: if he is solvent, he pays it immediately; if insolvent, that amount is entered against him as a debt. In either case, the children are free.

A person placed under guardianship for financial incompetence may not marry without his guardian’s permission. Should the guardian authorize the union, the marriage stands. If the incompetent man marries without such permission, the guardian reviews the matter: if he judges it sound, he may ratify it; if not, he annuls it. When consummation has already taken place, the woman is entitled to the minimum dower that makes intercourse lawful; any excess is recovered from her or from the relative who accepted it on her behalf. If part of the dower was deferred, that deferred portion is void, and once the man attains competence he is not pursued for it. This differs from the case of a slave, for the slave’s legal restraint exists on account of another, whereas the spendthrift’s restraint is for his own protection. The annulment counts as a single pronouncement of divorce and will be tallied should he later marry her again.