DIGEST, a term used generally of any digested or carefully arranged collection or compendium of written matter, but more particularly in law of a compilation in condensed form of a body of law digested in a systematic method; e.g., the Digest (Digesta) or Pandects (IIavheKrac) of Justinian, a collection of extracts from the opinions of earlier jurists compiled by order of the emperor Justinian. The word is also given to the compilations of the main points (marginal or head-notes) of decided cases.