Term or phrase

Literal translation

a fortiori

from stronger

a mensa et thoro

from table and bed

a posteriori

from later

a priori

from earlier

a quo

from which

ab extra

from outside

ab initio

from the beginning

absque hoc

without this

Actori incumbit probatio

On the plaintiff rests the proving

actus reus

guilty act

ad coelum

to the sky

ad colligenda bona

to collect the goods

ad hoc

for this

ad hominem

at the person

ad idem

to the same thing

ad infinitum

to infinity

ad litem

for the case

ad quod damnum

according to the harm

ad valorem

according to value

adjournment sine die

adjournment without a day

affidavit

he has sworn

alter ego

another I

amicus curiae

friend of the court

animus contrahendi

contractual intent

animus nocendi

intention to harm

animus possidendi

intention to possess

animus revertendi

intention to return

ante

before

(in) arguendo

for the sake of argument

Audi alteram partem

hear the other side

bona fide

in good faith.

bona vacantia

ownerless goods

Cadit quaestio

The question falls

Casus belli

Case of war

casus fortuitus

fortuitous event

Caveat

May he beware

Caveat emptor

Let the buyer beware

Certiorari

To be apprised

Ceteris paribus

With other things the same

cogitationis poenam nemo patitur

Nobody suffers punishment for mere intent

communio bonorum

Community of property

compensatio morae

Balance of delay

compos mentis

Having command of mind

Condicio sine qua non

A condition without which it could not be

consensus ad idem

Agreement to the same

consensus facit legem

Consensus makes the law

consuetudo pro lege servatur

Custom is held as law

contra

Against

contra bonos mores

Against good morals

contra legem

Against the law

Contradictio in adjecto

Contradiction in itself

contra proferentem

Against the one bringing forth

coram non judice

Before one who is not a judge

corpus delicti

Body of the crime

corpus juris

Body of law

corpus juris civilis

Body of civil law

corpus juris gentium

Body of the law of nations

corpus juris secundum

crimen falsi

Crime of falsifying

cui bono

As a benefit to whom?

cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos

For whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to Heaven and

down to Hell

de bonis asportatis

Carrying goods away

debellatio

Warring down

de bonis non administratis

Of goods not administered

de die in diem

From day to day

de facto

In fact

de futuro

Concerning the future

de integro

Concerning the whole

de jure

According to law

de lege ferenda

Of the law as it should be

de lege lata

Of the law as it is

delegatus non potest delegare

That which has been delegated, cannot delegate

[further]

de minimis

About the smallest things

de minimis non curat lex

The law does not concern itself with the smallest

[things]

de mortuis nil nisi bonum

Of the dead, [speak] nothing unless good

de novo

Anew

deorum injuriae diis curae

The gods take care of injuries to the gods

dictum

(thing) said

doli incapax

Incapable of guilt

dolus specialis

Specific deceit

domitae naturae

Tame by nature

donatio mortis causa

Deathbed gift

dramatis personae

Persons of the drama

dubia in meliorem partem interpretari debent

Doubtful things should be interpreted in the best way

duces tecum

Bring with you

ei incumbit probatio qui dicit

Proof lies on him who asserts.

ejusdem generis

Of the same class.

eo nomine

By that name.

erga omnes

Towards all.

ergo

Therefore

erratum

Having been made in error.

et al.

And others

et cetera

And other things.

et seq.

And the following things

et uxor

And wife.

et vir

And husband.

ex aequo et bono

Of equity and [the] good.

ex ante

Of before.

ex cathedra

From the chair

ex concessis

From what has been conceded already

ex delicto

From a transgression

ex facie

On the face

ex fida bona

Good business norms

ex gratia

By favor

ex injuria jus non oritur

Law does not arise from injustice

ex officio

From the office

ex parte

From [for] one party

ex post

From after

ex post facto

From a thing done afterward

ex post facto law

expressio unius est exclusio alterius

The express mention of one thing excludes all others

ex proprio motu

By [one's] own motion

ex rel

[arising] out of the narration [of the relator]

ex turpi causa non oritur actio

From a dishonorable cause an action does not arise

exempli gratia

For the sake of example

ex tunc

From then

ex nunc

From now on

extant

Existing

factum

Deed

facio ut facias

I do, that you may do

favor contractus

Favor of the contract

felo de se

Felon of himself

ferae naturae

Wild animals by nature

fiat

Let it be done

Fiat justitia et pereat mundus

Let there be justice, though the world perish.

fiat justitia ruat caelum

Let justice be done though the heavens fall.

fieri facias

May you cause to be done

fortis attachiamentum, validior praesumptionem

strong attachment, the stronger presumption

forum non conveniens

Disagreeable forum

fructus industriales

Industrial fruits

fructus naturales

Natural fruits

fumus boni iuris

Smoke of a good right

functus officio

Having performed his office

generalia specialibus non derogant

The general does not detract from the specific.

gravamen

Things weighing down

guardian ad litem

Guardian for the case.

habeas corpus

May you have the body

hostis humani generis

Enemy of the human race

i.e.

That is

ibid.

In the same place

idem

The same

ignorantia juris non excusat

Ignorance of the law does not excuse

imprimatur

Let it be printed.

in absentia

In absence

In articulo mortis

at the moment of death

in camera

In the chamber

in curia

In court

in esse

In existence

in extenso

In the extended

in extremis

In the extreme

in flagrante delicto

In blazing offense

in forma pauperis

In the manner of a pauper

in futuro

In the future

in haec verba

In these words

in limine

At the threshold

in loco parentis

In the place of a parent

in mitius

In the milder

in omnibus

In all

in pari delicto

In equal offense

in pari materia

In the same matter

in personam

In person

in pleno

In full

in prope persona

On one's own person

in propria persona

In one's own proper person

in re

In the matter [of]

in rem

About a thing

in situ

In position

in solidum

For the whole

in terrorem

In order to frighten

in terrorem clause

Clause "in order to frighten"

in toto

In total

indicia

Indications

infra

Below or under

innuendo

By nodding

inter alia

Among others

inter arma enim silent leges

For among arms, the laws fall silent

inter rusticos

Among rustics

inter se

Amongst themselves

inter vivos

Between the living

intra

Within

intra fauces terrae

Within the jaws of the land

intra legem

Within the law

intra vires

Within the powers

ipse dixit

He himself said it

ipsissima verba

The very words

ipso facto

By the fact itself

ipso jure

the law itself

iudex non calculat

The judge does not calculate

jura novit curia

The court knows the law

jurat

(He) swears

juris et de jure

Of law, and from law

jus

Law, right

jus accrescendi

Right of survivorship; right of accrual

jus ad bellum

Laws to war

jus civile

Civil law

jus cogens

Compelling law

jus commune

Common law

jus gentium

Law of nations

jus in bello

Law in war

jus inter gentes

Law between the peoples

jus naturale

Natural law

jus primae noctis

Right of the first night

jus quaesitum tertio

Right to third-party relief

jus sanguinis

Right of blood

jus soli

Right of soil

jus tertii

Law of the third

lacunae

Void, gap

leges humanae nascuntur, vivunt, moriuntur

The laws of man are born, live, and die

lex commissoria

lex communis

Common law.

lex lata

The law borne

lex loci

The law of the place

lex posterior derogat priori

Later law removes the earlier

lex retro non agit

The law does not operate retroactively

lex scripta

Written law

lex specialis derogat legi generali

Specific law takes away from the general law

liberum veto

Free veto

lingua franca

The Frankish language

lis alibi pendens

Lawsuit elsewhere pending

lis pendens

Suit pending

locus

Place

locus delicti

Place of the crime

locus in quo

The place in which

locus poenitentiae

Place of repentance

locus standi

Place of standing

mala fide

(In) bad faith

maleficia propositis distinguuntur

evil acts are distinguished from (evil) purposes/crimes

are distinguished by evil intent

malum in se

Wrong in itself

malum prohibitum

Prohibited wrong

mandamus

We command

mare clausum

Closed sea

mare liberum

Open sea

mens rea

Guilty mind

modus operandi

Manner of operation

mora accipiendi

Delay of creditor

mora solvendi

delay of debtor

mortis causa

In contemplation of death

mos pro lege

Custom for law

motion in limine

Motion at the start

mutatis mutandis

Having changed [the things that] needed to be changed

ne exeat

Let him not exit [the republic]

ne bis in idem

Not twice in the same

negotiorum gestio

Management of estate

nemo auditur propriam turpitudinem allegans

no one can be heard, who invokes his own guilt

nemo dat quod non habet

no one gives what he does not have

nemo debet esse iudex in propria

no one shall be a judge in his own case

nemo judex in sua causa

no one shall be a judge in his own case

nemo plus iuris ad alium transferre potest quam ipse

habet

no one can transfer a greater right than he himself has

nihil dicit

he says nothing

nisi

unless

nisi prius

unless first

nolle prosequi

Not to prosecute

nolo contendere

I do not wish to dispute

non adimpleti contractus

Of a non-completed contract

non compos mentis

not in possession of [one's] mind

non constat

it is not certain

non est factum

It is not [my] deed

non est inventus

He is not found

non faciat malum, ut inde veniat bonum

not to do evil that good may come

non liquet

it is not clear

non obstante verdicto

notwithstanding the verdict

novus actus interveniens

a new action coming between

noscitur a sociis

it is known by friends

nota bene

note well

nudum pactum

naked promise

nulla bona

no goods

nulla poena sine lege

no penalty without a law

nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali

no crime, no punishment without a previous penal law

nunc pro tunc

now for then

obiter dictum

a thing said in passing

onus probandi

pacta sunt servanda

agreements must be kept

par delictum

equal fault

parens patriae

parent of the nation

pari passu

on equal footing

pater familias

father of the family

pendente lite

while the litigation is pending

per capita

by head

per contra

by that against

per curiam

through the court

per incuriam

by their neglect

per minas

through threats

per proxima amici

by or through the next friend

per quod

by which

per se

by itself

per stirpes

by branch

periculum in mora

danger in delay

persona non grata

unwelcome person

posse comitatus

power of the county

post mortem

after death

post mortem auctoris

after the author's death

praetor peregrinus

magistrate of foreigners

prima facie

at first face

prior tempore potior iure

earlier in time, stronger in law

prius quam exaudias ne iudices

before you hear, do not judge

probatio vincit praesumptionem

proof overcomes presumption

pro bono

For good

pro bono publico

For the public good

pro forma

as a matter of form

pro hac vice

For this turn

pro per

Abbreviation of propria persona, meaning "one's own

person"

pro rata

from the rate

pro se

for himself

pro tanto

for so much

pro tem

Abbreviation of pro tempore, meaning "for the time

being"

pro tempore

for the time being

propria persona

proper person

prout patet per recordum

as appears in the record

qua

which; as

quareitur

it is sought

quaere

query

quantum

how much

quantum meruit

as much as it deserves; as much as she or he has

earned[3]

quantum valebant

as much as they were worth

quasi

as if

qui facit per alium facit per se

who acts through another, acts himself

qui tam

Abbreviation of qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se

ipso in hac parte sequitur, meaning "who pursues in
this action as much for the king as himself".

quid pro quo

this for that

quo ante

as before

quo warranto

by what warrant?

quoad hoc

as to this

quod est necessarium est licitum

What is necessary is lawful

Rex or Regina

ratio decidendi

Reason for the decision

ratio scripta

written reason

rationae soli

by reason of the soil

rebus sic stantibus

things thus standing

reddendo singula singulis

referring solely to the last

res

thing, matter, issue, affair

res communis

common to all

res gestae

things done

res ipsa loquitur

the thing speaks for itself

res judicata

a matter judged

res nullius

nobody's thing

res publica

public affair

res publica christiana

Christian public affair

respondeat superior

let the master answer

restitutio in integrum

total reinstatement

rex non potest peccare

The king can do no wrong

salus populi suprema lex esto

The good of the people shall be the supreme law

scandalum magnatum

scandal of the magnates

scienter

knowingly

scire facias

let them know

scire feci

I have made known

se defendendo

self-defense

seriatim

in series

sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas

use your property so as not to injure that of your

neighbours

sine die

without day

sine qua non

without which, nothing

situs

the place

solutio indebiti

performance of something not due

stare decisis

To stand by [things] decided.

status quo
status quo ante
statu quo

the state in which

stratum

a covering, from neuter past participle of sternere, to

spread
sua sponte

of its own accord

sub judice

under the judge

sub modo

subject to modification

sub nomine

under the name

sub silentio

under silence

subpoena

under penalty

subpoena ad testificandum

Under penalty to be witnessed

subpoena duces tecum

bring with you under penalty

suggestio falsi

false suggestion

sui generis

of its own kind/genus

sui juris

of his own right

suo motu

of its own motion

supersedeas

refrain from

suppressio veri

suppression of the truth

supra

above

tantum et tale

thus and such

terra nullius

no one's land

trial de novo

trial anew

trinoda necessitas

three-knotted need

uberrima fides

most abundant faith

ultra posse nemo obligatur

no one is obligated (to do) more than he can

ultra vires

beyond the powers

universitas personarum

Totality of people

universitas rerum

Totality of things

uno flatu

in one breath

uti possidetis

as you possess

uxor

wife

vel non

or not

veto

I forbid.

vice versa

the other way around

vide

see

videlicet

Contraction of videre licet, meaning "it is permitted to

see"

vinculum juris

the chains of the law

vis major

greater or superior force

viz.

Abbreviation of videlicet

volenti non fit injuria

injury is not done to the willing

vigilantibus non dormientibus aequitas subvenit

Equity aids the vigilant, not the sleeping