ab extra coram non judice

From outside Before one who is not a judge

ab initio corpus
From the beginning Body

actus reus corpus delicti

A guilty deed or act The body of the offense

ad hoc custos morum

For this purpose A guardian of morals

ad infinitum de bonis asportatis

To infinity, without limit, forever Of goods carried away

alibi de die in diem

Elsewhere, at another place From day to day

aliunde de facto
From elsewhere, from a different source In fact

ante de futuro
Before In the future

bona fide de integro

Sincere, in good faith As regards the whole

bona vacantia de jure

Vacant goods, i.e., goods without an owner Rightful, by right

cadit quaestio de lege ferenda

Question falls, i.e., the matter admits of no What the law ought to be (as opposed to
further argument what the law is)

certiorari de lege lata

A write from a High Court to Lower Court What the law is (as opposed to what the law
ought to be)
ceteris paribus
Other things being equal de novo
Starting afresh
consensu
Unanimously, by general consent doli incapax
Incapable of crime
consensus ad idem
Agreement as to the same things dominium
Ownership
contra
To the contrary dubitante
Doubting the correctness of the decision
contra bonos mores
Contrary to good morals
ei incumbit probatio qui in esse
The onus of proving the fact rests upon a In existence
man
in extenso
et cetera At full length
Other things of that type
in limine
ex cathedra At the outset, on the threshold
With official authority
in loco parentis
ex concessis In place of a parent
In view of what has already been accepted
in omnibus
ex facie In every respect
On the fact of it
in pleno
ex gratia In full
Out of kindness, voluntarily
in situ
ex parte In its place
Proceeding brought by one person in the
absense of another in solidum
The whole.
ex post facto In a situation where several co-obligants are
By reason of a subsequent fact bound "in solidum", each is liable in full
payment or performance. The creditor may
faciendum choose which of the obligants s/he will sue.
Something which is to be done Every person whose name appears on a bill,
whether as acceptor or endorser, is liable in
full payment of its contents. After payment,
factum
s/he may do diligence against the others for
An act, or a deed
relief.
Term 'in solidum' is contrasted with term 'pro
fructus naturales rata'. To be bound 'pro rata' is in a joint
Vegetation which grows naturally without obligation to not be bound for the whole but
cultivation only for their share.

idem inter alia

The same person or being Amongst other things

id est (i.e) interium

That is Temporary; in the meanwhile

in camera in terrorem
In private As a warning or a deterrent

in delicto ipsissima verba

At fault The very words of a speaker

indicia ipso facto

Marks, signs By that very fact
jus onus probandi
A right that is recognised in law Burden of proof

jus naturale orse

Natural justice Otherwise

locus in quo par delictum

Scene of the event Equal fault

magnum opus pari passu

A great work of literature On an equal footing

mala fides per curiam

Bad faith In the opinion of the court

mens rea per minas

Guilty state of mind By means of menaces or threats

mutatis mutandis per quod

Things being changed which are to be
changed.
E.g., a proprietor of an estate fues his lands,
and the feu contracts all contain the same
general clauses, the same obligations on the
feuars and confer the same rights. In such a
case two of the feu charters are said to be
the same mutatis mutandis, that is, they are
the same, if (or when) the name of the
disponee, the particular description of the
lands feued, and other such-like particulars
which are peculiar to each, are changed.
nemo dat quod non habet
No one can give a better title than he has
nexus
Connection
nisi
Unless
non compus mentis
Not of sound mind and understanding
non constat
It is not certain
By reason of which
post mortem
After death
prima facie
On the face of it
prima impressionis
On first impression
pro hac vice
For this occasion
pro rata
Proportionally; for a proportion.
In a situation where several debtors are
each liable for her/his own share or
proportion only, they are said to be bound
"pro rata". Term 'pro rata' is contrasted with
'in solidum' - where several debtors are each
liable for the whole debt.
An example of both phrases may be found
in the liabilty of partners; each is liable "in
solidum" for the debts of the partnership in
relation to creditors, but each is liable only
"pro rata" in relation to between themselves.

non est factum pro tanto

It is not her/his deed So far; to that extent

non sequitur pro tempore

It does not follow, i.e., an inconsistent For the time being
statement
publici juris suppressio veri
Of public right The suppression of the truth

quaere talis qualis

Consider whether it is correct Such as it is

quaeitur uberrima fides

The question is raised Good faith

quantum uno flatu

How much; an amount At the same moment, with one breath

quid pro quo verbatim

Consideration; something for something Word by word, exactly

re vice versa
In the matter of... The other way around

res vide
Matter, affair, thing, circumstance See

res gestae volens

The thing done Willing

res nulis Bancus Communium Placitorum

Nobody's property Court of Common Pleas

sciens bona mobilia

Knowingly Moveable property

secus bona peritura

The legal position is different, it is otherwise Perishable goods

stet bona vacantia

Do not delete, let it stand Unclaimed property

sub modo felo de se

Within limits A suicide

sub nomine locum tenens

Under the name of A deputy

sub silentio lex talionis

In silence The law of retaliation

suggestio falsi bona fiscalia

The suggestion of something which is untrue Public property

sui generis chartae libertatum

Unique Charters of liberties
capias ad audiendum
Writ ordering appearance in court
capias ad respondendum
Writ ordering the arrest of a person
capias ad satisfaciendum
Writ ordering satisfaction of an order
dies juridicus
A day on which the court is in session
dies non juridicus
A day on which the court is not in session
alimenta
Means of support (i.e., food, clothing,
shelter)
altercatio
Forensic argumentation; cross-examination
de lunatico inquiriendo
A writ to inquire into the insanity of a person
ambigendi locus
Room for doubt
amicus curiae
Friend of the court (i.e., impartial
spokesperson)
bona fides
Documents proving identity (or 'good faith')
custos
Guardian
fieri facias
writ authorizing execution of a judgment
A verbis legis non est recedendum You
must not vary the words of a statute.
Absoluta sententia expositore non
indiget When you have plain words
capable of only one interpretation, no
explanation of them is required.
Abundans cautela non nocet There is no
harm done by great caution.
Accusare nemo se debet; accusare nemo
se debet nisi coram Deo No one is bound
to accuse himself except to God.
Acta exteriora indicant interiora secreta
External actions show internal secrets, i.e.,
intention may be inferred from a person's
actions.
Actus curiae neminem gravabit An act of
the Court shall prejudice no one.
Adversus extraneos vitiosa possessio
prodesse solet Prior possession is a good
title of ownership against all who cannot
show a better.
Aedificatum solo, solo cedit What is built
on the land is to be regarded as having
become part of the land.
Aequitas sequitur legem Equity follows the
law.
Affirmanti non neganti incumbit probatio
The burden of proof is upon him who
affirms, not upon him who denies.
Ambulatoria est voluntas defuncti usque
ad vitae supremum exitum The will of a
deceased person is ambulatory [revocable]
until the last moment of life.
Audi alteram partem Hear the other side.
Clausulae inconsuetae semper inducunt
suspicionem. Unusual clauses always
excite suspicion.
Consuetudo est altera lex A custom has
the force of law.
Contemporanea exposito est optima et
fortissima in lege The best way to construe
a document is to read it as it would have
read when made.
Contra preferentum If the words in a
contract are ambiguous the contract should
be interpreted against the one who wrote the
words.
Cujus est dare ejus est disponere He who
gives anything can also direct how the gift is
to be used.
Cujus est solum ejus est usque ad
coelum Whose is the soil, his is also that
which is above it.
De minimis non curat lex The law does not
concern itself with trifles.
Debitor non praesumitur donare A debtor
is not presumed to give.
Delegatus non potest delegare A delegate
cannot delegate.
Domus sua cuique est tutissimum
refugium To everyone his house is his
surest refuge.
Dona clandestina sunt semper
suspiciosa Clandestine gifts are always to
be regarded with suspicion.
Eodem modo quo oritur, eodem modo
dissolvitur What has been effected by
agreement can be undone by agreement.
Ex dolo malo non oritur actio No right of
action can have its origin in fraud.
Ex maleficio non oritur contractus A
contract cannot arise out of an illegal act.
Ex nudo pacto non oritur actio. No right of
action arises from a contract entered into
without consideration.
Ex turpi causa non oritur actio An illegal
contract cannot be enforced.
Expedit reipublicae ut finis sit litium It is
in the public interest that the decision of
cases should be final.
Expressio unius personae vel rei, est
exclusio alterius The express mention of
one person or thing is the exclusion of
another.
Fractionem diei non recipit lex The law
does not recognize any fraction of a day.
Fraus omnia vitiat Fraud vitiates
everything.
Frustra legis auxilium quaerit qui in
legem comittit He who offends against the
law vainly seeks the help of the law.
Generalia specialibus non derogant
General things do not derogate from special
things.
Ignorantia juris quod quisque scire
tenetur non excusat Ignorance of the
law, which everybody is supposed to know,
does not constitute an excuse.
Impotentia excusat legem Impossibility of
performance of a legal obligation is a good
excuse.
In pari causa potior est condition
possidentis Everyone may keep what he
has got, unless and until someone else can
prove a better title.
Injuria non excusat injuriam One wrong
does not justify another.
Interpretatio chartarum benigne facienda
est ut res magis valeat quam pereat The
construction of deeds is to be made liberally,
so that the thing may survive rather than
perish.
Lex non requirit verificari quod apparet
curiae The law does not require verification
of that which is apparent to the Court.
Mala grammatica non vitiat chartam Bad
grammar does not vitiate a deed.
Nemo agit in seipsum No one can take
proceedings against himself.
Nemo contra factum suum proprium
venire potest No one can go against his
own deed.
Nemo dat quod non habit. One cannot
grant what one does not have.
Nemo debet esse judex in propria causa
No one can be judge in his own cause.
Nemo potest facere per alium, quod per
se non potest No one can do through
another what he cannot do himself.
Nemo tenetur ad impossibile No one is
required to do what is impossible.
Non aliter a significatione verborum
recedi oportet quam cum manifestum est
aliud sensisse testatorem There should be
no departure from the ordinary meaning of
words except where it appears that the
testator meant something different.
Non videntur qui errant consentire Those
who are mistaken are not deemed to
consent.
Noscitur a sociis The meaning of a word
can be gathered from the context.
Omnia praesumuntur rite et solemniter
esse acta All acts are presumed to have
been done rightly and regularly.
Qui facit per alium facit per se He who
acts through another is deemed to act in
person, i.e., a principal is liable for the acts
of his agent.
Qui prior est tempore potior est jure He
who is first in time has the strongest claim in
law.
Res inter alios acta alteri nocere non
debet A transaction between others does
not prejudice one who was not a party to it.
Rex non potest peccare The King can do
no wrong.
Sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas So
use your property as not to injure your
neighbour's.
Ultra vires Without authority. A decision
which is beyond the powers or authority of
the person or organization which took it.
When a decision is thought to be ultra vires,
the typical remedy is to get a higher level
judicial body, such as a Court, to assess and
rule on it. If the decision has already been
made, the remedy is certiorari. If the
decision is anticipated, the remedy is
prohibition
Verba chartarum fortius accipiuntur
contra proferentem The words of deeds
are to be interpreted most strongly against
him who uses them.
Volenti non fit injuria That to which a man
consents cannot be considered an injury.