Glossary of Latin Terminology
Improve Your Latin Legal Terminology
A
Ab extra - From outside
Ab inito - From The beginning
Accessorius sequitur - Accessorius sequitur One who is an accessory to the crime cannot be guilty of a more serious crime than the principal offender
Actus reus - A guilty deed or act
Ad hoc - For this purpose
Ad infinitum - For ever, without limit, To infinity
Alibi - At another place, Elsewhere
Aliunde - From elsewhere, or, from a different source
Amicus curiae - A friend of the court
Ante - Before
B
Bona Fide - Sincere, In good faith
Bona vacantia - Goods without an owner
C
Cadit quaestio - The matter admits of no further argument
Certiorari - Originally a writ from a High Court to a lower Court
Ceteris peribus - Other things being equal
Consensu - Unanimously or, by general consent
Consensus ad idem - Agreement as to the same things
Contra - To the contrary
Contra bonos mores - Contrary to good morals
Coram non judice - Before one who is not a judge
Corpus - Body
Corpus delicti - The body of the offence
Custos morum - A guardian of morals
D
De bonis asportatis - Of goods carried away
De die in diem - From day to day
De facto - In fact
De futuro - In the future
De integro - As regards the whole
De jure - Rightful, by right
De novo - Starting afresh
Doli incapax - Incapable of crime
Dominium - Ownership
Dubitante - Doubting the correctness of the decision
E
Ei incumbit probatio qui - The onus of proving a fact rests upon the man
Et cetera - Other things of that type
Ex cathedra - With official authority
Ex concessis - In view of what has already been accepted
Ex facie - On the fact of it
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
F
Faciendum - Something which is to be done
Factum - An act or deed
Fructus naturales - Vegetation which grows naturally without cultivation
I
Idem - The same person or thing
Id est (i.e) - That is
In camera - In private
In delicto - At fault
Indicia - Marks, signs
In esse - In existence
In extenso - At full length
In futoro - In the future
In limine - At the outset, on the threshold
In loco parentis - In place of the parent
In omnibus - In every respect
In pleno - In full
In situ - In its place
Inter alia - Amongst other things
Interium - Temporary, in the meanwhile
In terrorem - As a warning or deterrent
Ipsissima verba - The very words of a speaker
Ipso facto - By that very fact
J
Jus - A right that is recognised in law
Jus naturale - Natural justice
L
Locus in quo - Scene of the event
M
Magnum opus - A great work of literature
Mala fides - Bad faith
Mens rea - Guilty state of mind
N
Nemo dat quod non habet - On 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
Non est factum - It is not his deed
Non sequitur - An inconsistent statement, it does not follow
O
Onus probandi - Burden of proof
Orse - Otherwise
P
Par delictum - Equal fault
Pari passu - On an equal footing
Per curiam - In the opinion of the court
Per minas - By means of menaces or threats
Per quod - 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 - In proportion
Pro tanto - So far, to that extent
Pro tempore - For the time being
Publici juris - Of public right
Q
Quaere - Consider whether it is correct
Quaeitur - The question is raised
Quantum - How much, an amount
Quid pro quo - Consideration. something for something
R
Re - In the matter of
Res - Matter, affair, thing, circumstance
Res Gestae - The thing done
Res nulis - Nobody’s property
S
Sciens - Knowingly
Secus - The legal position is different, it is otherwise
Se defendendo - In self defence
Stet - Do not delete, let it stand
Sub modo - Within limits
Sub nomine - Under the name of
Sub silentio - In silence
Suggestio falsi - The suggestion of something which is untrue
Sui generis - Unique
Suppressio veri - The suppression of the truth
T
Talis qualis - Such as it is
U
Uberrima fides - Good faith
Uno flatu - At the same moment, with one breath
V
Verbatim - Word by word, exactly
Vice versa - The other way around
Vide - See
Volens - Willing
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