Justinian, Institutes 1.8 in medio: expedit enim rei publicae, ne quis re sua male utatur. Cuius rescripti ad Aelium Marcianum emissi verba haec sunt: Dominorum quidem potestatem in suos servos illibatam esse oportet nec cuiquam hominum ius suum detrahi.  Sed dominorum interest ne auxilium contra saevitiam vel famem vel intolerabilem iniuriam denegetur his qui iuste deprecantur. (it concerns the public good, that no one should misuse his own property. The following are the terms of this rescript of Antoninus, which was sent to Laelius Marcianus: The power of masters over their slaves ought to be preserved unimpaired, nor ought any man to be deprived of his just right. But it is for the interest of all masters themselves, that when someone justly asks for help against  against cruelty, hunger, or  intolerable injury, should not be refused.)
 

SIERRA CLUB v. MORTON, 405 U.S. 727 (1972)

405 U.S. 727

SIERRA CLUB v. MORTON, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, ET AL.
CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

No. 70-34.

Argued November 17, 1971
Decided April 19, 1972  (4-3 decision)

 

Justice William O. Douglas' Dissent

Christopher  D. Stone, Should Trees Have Standing?: Toward Legal Rights for Natural Objects (Los Altos, Calif.: W. Kaufmann, 1974)