Although they had no special legal status, an owner who mistreated or failed to care for his vernae faced social disapproval, as they were considered part of his familia, the family household, and in some cases might actually be the children of free males in the family.
Selvom de ikke havde nogen særlig retslig status, ville en ejer, som mishandlede eller undladte at passe sin vernae se samfundets misbilligelse, da de blev anset for en del af hans familie, og i nogle tilfælde kan det faktisk være børn af frie mænd i familie.