NICOLETTI, GIOVANNI (Johannes ab Imola). - Canonist and civilian, b. at Imola (and not at Bologna, as was once believed) between 1367 and 1376, d. at Bologna on 13 March 1436.
He studied at Bologna and there took his doctorate in 1397 in canon and civil law; in 1399 he obtained in the same city the chair of canon law; in 1402 he moved to teach at Ferrara and subsequently at Padua, finally returning to Bologna, where he remained until his death.
He was an exceedingly prolific writer, in both Roman and canon law, and enjoyed great renown among his contemporaries, to the point of being called utriusque iuris monarca. His principal works are the Commentaria in Clementinas (1st ed., Venice 1485) and In tres libros Decretalium (1st ed., ibid. 1498); as well as those In primam et secundam Infortiati Digestique novi partes (Bologna 1580), together with many Consilia, Repetitiones, Tractatus, some of which are still unpublished.