LEGAL TERM MEANING

AD IDEM Identity of minds

ALIBI Elsewhere
AD VALOREM According to the value
CAVEAT EMPTOR Buyers’ Beware
CITATION Quotation of decided cases in legal
arguments
DAMNUM SINE INJURIA Damage without legal injury
EX GRATIA As a favour
FAUX PAS Tactless mistake
IN TERROREM In order to cause terror
QUO WARRANTO By what authority
PRIMA FACIE On the face of it
INJURIA SINE DAMNUM Legal injury without actual damage
IGNORANTIA JURIS NON EXCUSAT Ignorance of law is not an excuse
LIS PENDENS A pending suit
LOCUS STANDI Right to be heard in court
SUO MOTO On its own
MANDAMUS Higher court ordering an authority to a
certain duty
IPSO FACTO By this very fact
QUASI Like/Similar
RES JUDICATA A case which has already been decided

SUB JUDICE Under judicial consideration

OBITER DICTA Things which are said in passing part of a

judgement

QUANTUM MERUIT As much as deserved

MODUS OPERANDI Mode of working

RES IPSA LOQUITOR The things speak for itself.

QUID PRO QUO Action done in return for something

done/promised

RATIO DECIDENDI Reason for deciding the main part of

judgement.

SINE QUA NON “Without which nothing”

SINE DIE Indefinitely

STARE DECISIS The principle that courts must abide by

precedents set by judgement made in higher

courts.

UBERRIMAE FIDE Of utmost good faith.

AMICUS CURIAE He is a member of the Bar or other stand by

who informs the court when it is doubtful or

mistaken of any fact or decided case.

STATUS QUO ANTE The previous position

VOX POPULI The voice of the people

ABATE To reduce or to become null or void.

ATTACH To take into custody of law.

ASSAULT Striking another person.

AFFIDAVIT A written statement which is signed and

sworn before a solicitor or Notary public and

which can then be used as evidence in court

hearing.

ADJUDICATE To give a judgement between two parties in

law.

AFFRAY Public fight which frightens other people.

ALLEGIANCE Obedience to the state/crown.

AMNESTY Pardon, often for political crimes.

ANNUL To cancel

APPELLANT Person who appeals.

BONAFIDE In good faith.

MALAFIDE In bad faith.

BYE LAW Rules governing the internal running of

a club/association.

BURDEN OF PROOF To prove something which has been

alleged in court, is true.

COERCION To force someone by pressure to do an

act.

CONFISCATE To take away private property into the

possession of the state.

CORROBORATE To prove evidence which has already

been given

TESTATE Dying after making a will.

ULTRA VIRES Outside the powers.

VETO Right of executive head to refuse to

approve any legislation.

VOID Nullity in the eyes of law.

WAGER A bet.

REMISSION To reduce

REPUDIATE To refuse to accept.

REPEAL Doing away with law so that it is no

longer valid.

REVOKE To cancel/withdraw

STAY Temporary stopping of an order made

by court.
TACIT Agreed but not stated.

BONAFIDE In good faith.

MALAFIDE In bad faith.

BYE LAW Rules governing the internal running of

a club/association.

BURDEN OF PROOF To prove something which has been

alleged in court, is true.

COERCION To force someone by pressure to do an

act.

CONFISCATE To take away private property into the

possession of the state.

CORROBORATE To prove evidence which has already

been given.

MALA IN SE Bad in themselves.

MANDAMUS We command.

MENS REA Guilty state of mind.

NEMO DEBET ESSE JUDEX IN

PROPRIA CAUSA No one can be judge in his own case.

NEXUS Connection

NISI Unless

NON SEQUITUR An inconsistent statement

PARI PASSU On an equal footing.

PER CURIAM In the opinion of the court.

PRO RATA In proportion.

QUANTUM An amount.

RE In the matter of.

RES Matter, affair, thing, circumstance.Res

judicata A thing adjudged is accepted for
the truth.
 Legal Maxims

AB INITIO From the beginning

ACCESSORIUS SEQUITUR An accessory to the crime cannot be

guilty of a more serious crime than the

principal offender.

ACTORI INCUMBIT ONUS PROBANDI The burden of proof lies on the plaintiff.

ACTUS NON FACIT REUM NISI MENS SIT A person will not be guilty without

REA criminal intent.

ACTUS REUS A guilty deed or act.

AD HOC For this purpose.

AD INFINITUM Forever, without limit, to infinity.

AEQUITAS LEGEM SEQUITUR Equity follows the law..

ANIMO TESTANDI With an intention of making a will.

ANTE Before.

AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM Hear the other side (A principal of

natural justice)

BONA FIDE Sincere, in good faith

BONA VACANTIA Goods without an owner

CAUSA PROXIMA, NON REMOTA To determine the cause of an injury, the

SPECTATUR immediate, and not the remote cause is

to be considered.

CAVEAT VENDITOR Let the seller beware.

CONSENSUS AD IDEM Agreement as to the same things.

CONTEMPORANEA EXPOSITIO EST A contemporaneous(present) exposition

OPTIMA ET FORTISSIMA IN LEGE is best and most powerful in law.

CONTRA To the contrary.

CORPUS DELICTI The body, i.e. the body of crime.

DE JURE – BY LAW, RIGHT

DE MINIMIS LEX NON CURAT The law does not notice trifling matters.

DE NOVO Starting afresh.

DOLI INCAPAX Incapable of crime (minor)

EJUSDEM GENERIS Of the same kind.

EX GRATIA Out of kindness, voluntary.

EX PARTE Proceeding brought by one person in the absence

of another.

EX POST FACTO By reason of a subsequent act.

FACTUM An act or deed.

HABEAS CORPUS Produce the body.

IGNORANTIA FACTI EXCUSAT, IGNORANTIA JURIS Ignorance of fact can be excused, but ignorance

NON EXCUSAT of law cannot be excused.

IN DELICTO At fault.

IN JURE NON REMOTA CAUSA SED PROXIMA In law not the remote but the proximate cause is

SPECTATUR looked at.

IN LIMINE At the outset, on the threshold.

IN PERSONAM Against the person.

IN REM Against the whole world

IN SITU In its place.

INTER ALIA Amongst other things.

INTERIM Temporary, in the meanwhile.

IPSO FACTO By that very fact.

INTER VIVOS Between living persons

JUDEX NON POTEST ESSE TESTIS IN PROPIRA A judge cannot be witness in his own cause.
CAUSA

JUS A right that is recognised in law.

JUS NATURALE Natural justice.

LEGES POSTERIORES PRIORES CONTRARIAS Subsequent laws repeal prior conflicting one.
ABROGANT

ASSENTIO MENTIUM The meeting of minds, i.e. mutual assent.

QUI FACIT PER ALIUM, FACIT PER SE He who acts through another acts himself.

QUID PRO QUO Consideration, something for something.

RESPONDEAT SUPERIOR Let the principal answer.

SIC UTERE TUO UT ALIENUM NON So use your own as not to injure another s
LAEDAS
property..

SUB SILENTIO In silence.

UBI JUS IBI REMEDIUM EST Where there is a right there is a remedy.

VOLENTI NON FIT INJURIA An injury is not done to a person consenting to it.

PENDENTE LITE NIHIL INNOVETUR During litigation nothing should be changed.