Derecho de opción del contratante vencido en juicio por lesión enorme. Orígenes e interpretación del artículo 1890 del código civil

The concept known as laesio enormis which is to be found in article 1890 of the Chilean civil code harks back to Roman law. It is different from the one from the Napoleon Code insofar as it applies to both buyer and seller, according to an objective standard. Once the laesio enormis is acknowledged by the judge, the contract can either remains valid or become null and void, albeit in a distinctive way. If this so-called rescission is called for, the party which was unfair to the other one always keeps a ten percent of the just price. This is the fi rst problem of the consequences of the rescission, the second one being the obvious unbalance between the fates of seller and buyer, to the advantage of the seller.