Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Choshen Mishpat/382

Paragraph 1- If an ox was destined to be killed because it damages others, or a tree was destined to be cut because it damages others, and one went ahead and slaughtered the animal or cut the tree without the owner’s knowledge, he could be required to pay the owner as the judges see fit because he prevented him from performing a mitzvah. If the defendant claims the owner told him to kill it or cut it, because it was destined for it he would be exempt. ''Any other tortfeasor, however, would not be believed to say the owner gave him permission, even if he as a migu to say he did not damage, such as where there are no witnesses that he damaged, because it is like a migu against a presumption which is not a valid migu. He would, however, be believed to say he did not damage with a migu that what he damaged belonged to him and not to the plaintiff.'' Similarly, if one slaughtered an undomesticated animal or bird, and another came and covered the blood without the slaughterer’s knowledge, he would be required to pay as the judges see fit. There are those who rule he would pay a set fine, which is 10 gold coins. Similarly, they ruled that anyone who prevents an owner from performing a positive commandment which they are supposed to, and someone else went ahead and performed him, he must pay the owner 10 gold coins. ''If one had a son to circumcise and someone else came and circumcised him, he must pay the father 10 gold coins. If he gave him to someone else to circumcise, however, and someone else came and circumcised, he would be exempt.'' Today we would not collect this fine, but if someone seized it would not remove it from him.