While "law" comes from the Old Norse lag, many English words concerning the law come

from Latin. Words such as legal (from lex, "law") and judge (from iudex, "judge") came indirectly through French, following the Norman Conquest. But other legal phrases come down unchanged from Roman jurisprudence. Here are some of the most common:

mens rea: this means "the criminal mind," or criminal intent. It's one of the basic criteria for criminal guilt, along with actus reus, or "the criminal deed." habeas corpus: this literally means "you may have the body." A writ of habeas corpus demands that a person be physically presented, in order to release him or her from imprisonment or restraint that is unlawful. in pari delicto: this concept, roughly meaning "in equal fault," refers to parties that are equally culpable or criminal. corpus delicti: meaning "the body of the crime," this concept doesn't necessarily refer to a murder victim's corpse (though it can); it means any proof that a crime has been committed, which must be present before any conviction for that crime. pro bono: a lawyer who works "for the (public) good," as this phrase means, is understood as working for free. ex parte: this means "by (or for) one party," or on one side only. An ex parte conversation, therefore, might include only the plaintiff in a case, but not the defendant. amicus curiae: a "friend of the court" is a person or group who has a stake in an issue in a case, but is not directly involved in that case. Such as party may file an "amicus brief." For instance, Mad Magazine filed an amicus brief in the copyright case Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. (1993), having been sued on similar grounds in Berlin v. E.C. Publications (1964). prima facie: this Latin legal phrase means "at first face," or, more colloquially, on the face of it. A prima facie case is one where there is enough evidence to justify proceeding to trial. subpoena: this means "under penalty" or "on pain (of ...)." It is a process by which

a court compels someone either to produce papers or documents as evidence, or to appear to testify. It comes from the phrase subpoena duces tecum, meaning "under penalty you shall bring (the papers, etc.) with you." nolo contendere: literally, "I am unwilling to dispute," this is a formal declaration that a defendant does not wish to contest the charges.

v.: This stands for versus, or "against," an abbreviation found in case names. It is also sometimes shortened to vs. inter vivos: this means "among the living," and can refer to a gift made during a person's lifetime, as opposed to one made through a will. ultra vires: this concept means that an action is "beyond the powers" of something as defined by a charter or constitution. nunc pro tunc: literally "now for then," this is legalese for something that has retroactive effect. res ipsa loquitur: "the thing speaks for itself," or, more loosely, the fact is selfevident. This Latin legal phrase spills over into other argumentative fields such as philosophy and logic. res judicata: this means "a thing adjudged," or a legal matter that has already been decided. sua sponte: something done sua sponte is done voluntarily, or "by one's own accord." inter se: this phrase, meaning "between each other," refers to a relationship between partners.

*
List of legal Latin terms

D cont.
Donatio mortis causa Duorum in solidum dominium vel possessio esse non potest

I cont.
Ius strictum Ius utendi

A
Ab extra Abjuration

J
Jactitation

Actio personalis moritur cum persona Actus reus Ad colligenda bona Ad litem Ad quod damnum Ad vitam aut culpam Adjournment sine die Advocatione decimarum Allocatur Amicus curiae Amiterre legem terrae Animus nocendi Animus revertendi Appurtenance Arguendo Auctoritas Audi alteram partem Aut dedere aut judicare

E
Eo ipso Essentialia negotii Et uxor Et vir Ex gratia Ex aequo et bono Ex delicto Ex facie Ex fida bona Ex injuria jus non oritur Ex nihilo Ex nunc Ex parte Ex post facto Ex rel Ex turpi causa non oritur actio

Judgment non obstante veredicto Juris privati Jus accrescendi Jus ad rem Jus commune Jus de non evocando Jus disponendi Jus gentium Jus gladii Jus inter gentes Jus naufragii Jus primae noctis Jus relictae Jus sanguinis Jus soli Jus tractatuum Justitium

F
Felo de se Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus Fiat justitia ruat caelum Fieri facias

L
Legem terrae Lex Canuleia Lex causae Lex domicilii Lex ferenda

B
Beneficium inventarii Bona fide Brocard (legal term)

C
Cadit quaestio Capias ad respondendum Capias pro fine Casus belli Casus foederis Caveat emptor Certiorari

Forum non conveniens Lex fori Lex incorporationis Fructus naturales Functus officio Lex lata Lex loci Lex loci arbitri Lex loci celebrationis Lex loci contractus Lex loci delicti

H
Habeas Data Habeas corpus Homo sacer Hostis humani generis

Cf. Clausula rebus sic stantibus Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur Condictio indebiti Consuetudinary Contra proferentem Contradictio in adjecto Coram nobis Coram non judice Corpus delicti Corpus Juris Cui bono Cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos Cuius regio, eius religio Culpa in contrahendo Curia advisari vult

I
Idem sonans Ignorantia juris non excusat In loco parentis In absentia In camera In dubio pro reo In flagrante delicto In forma pauperis In haec verba In limine In mitius In pari delicto In personam In re In rem In situ In terrorem Inter partes Inter regalia (Scots law)

commissi Lex loci rei sitae Lex loci solutionis Lex non scripta Lex patriae Lex rei sitae Lex scripta Lex situs Lex specialis Lex talionis Lex terrae Lis alibi pendens Lis pendens Locus in quo Locus standi

M
Malum in se Malum prohibitum Mandamus Mare clausum Mens rea Muniment Mutatis mutandis

Damnum absque injuria Inter rusticos De bene esse Inter se De bonis non administratis De donis conditionalibus De facto De jure De lege ferenda De lege lata De minimis Inter vivos Intra fauces terra Ipse dixit Ipsissima verba Ipso facto Ipso jure Ius Ius Latium Ius civile

N
Nasciturus pro iam nato habetur, quotiens de commodis eius agitur Ne Temere Ne bis in idem Nec vi, nec clam, nec precario

Debellatio Decree nisi Dedimus potestatem Delegata potestas non potest delegari Deodand Desuetude Dictum Dignitas (Roman concept) Dominium directum et utile Dominum directum

Ius in re Ius indigenatus Ius naturale Ius non scriptum Ius privatum Ius publicum Ius scriptum Ius singulare

Nemo dat quod non habet Nemo iudex in causa sua Nihil novi Nihil dicit Nisi prius Nolle prosequi Nolo contendere Non compis mentis Non compos mentis

N
Non liquet Nulla bona Nulla poena pro vitium Abyssus Nulla poena sine lege Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali Nullum tempus occurrit regi Nunc pro tunc

P cont.
Pro rata Pro se Probatio diabolica Publici juris

S cont.
Stare decisis Sua sponte Sub judice Sub silentio Subpoena Subpoena ad testificandum Subpoena duces tecum Sui generis

Q
Quaere Quantum meruit Quare impedit Quasi in rem jurisdiction

O
Obiter dictum Opinio juris sive necessitatis

Sui iuris Qui facit per alium facit Suo motu per se Supra (grammar) Qui tam Surrogatum Quia Emptores Syndic Quia timet Quicquid plantatur solo, solo cedit Quid pro quo

P
Pacta sunt servanda

Tabula in naufragio Terra nullius

Parens patriae Pari passu Partus sequitur ventrum Pedis possessio Pendente lite Per incuriam Per minas Per quod Per stirpes Persona designata Persona non grata Posse comitatus (common law) Praecipe Praemunire Prima facie Privilegium de non appellando Privilegium fori Pro bono publico Pro hac vice

Quo warranto

Tertium quid Trial de novo

R
R. Ratio decidendi Reformatio in peius Regul Juris Res gestae Res ipsa loquitur Res iudicata Respondeat superior Restitutio in integrum

U
Uberrima fides Ultimus haeres Ultra posse nemo obligatur Ultra vires Uti possidetis Uti possidetis juris

V
Venire facias de novo Vi et armis Vis major Volens Volenti non fit injuria Voluntas necandi

S
Sciens Scire facias Se defendendo Seriatim Sine qua non Situs (law)

W
Writ of Amparo and Habeas Data (Philippines)

A
Apostille

E cont.
Estoppel Estreat

P
Parquet (legal) Procs-verbal Puisne Purlieu

C
Chose Clameur de haro Covin

F
Force majeure

J
Jurat

Q
Quasi-delict

D
Demise Dpeage Droit de rgale

L
Law French

R
Replevin Retorsion

E
En banc En ventre sa mere

Lse majest

S
Scnes faire Seignory

M
Messuage Misprision Mortmain

V
Voir dire

O
Oyer and terminer

*
Blanket clemency

F
False pretenses Frivolous litigation

N cont.
Next of kin

A
Abuse defense Aggravated felony

O
Operation of law

G
Gang injunction Great pond (law)

P
Person in need of supervision Prior restraint Prophylactic rule Public figure

B
Base acreage Bill of Particulars Bright-line rule Burden of proof

I
I know it when I see it Implied consent

J
Judicial restraint Judicial review in the United States Just compensation

C
Chilling effect (term) Clear and present danger Color (law)

R
Reasonable doubt Reasonable person Reasonable time

K
Ker-Frisbie Doctrine

S
Search incident to arrest Spoliation of evidence Strike for cause Sugar bowl (legal maxim)

D
Depraved-heart murder Direct estoppel Due diligence

L
Lascivious Law label Longitudinal data system

E
Emancipation of minors Enoch Arden law

T
Taint (legal)

Marital deduction Motion to suppress

U
Ultimate Fact

N
Negative pregnant

B
Beyond the shadow of a doubt

D
Demurrer

N
Neutral reportage

I
Inquest

P
Passing off

C
Common law adoption

J
Judicial assistance

A
Allen charge Ambulance chaser Anti-Bolshevik League incident

B
Blacklist Boilerplate (text)

C
Chinese wall Contorts

D
Drumhead court-martial

E
Execution-style murder

F
Fishing expedition Frog-march Futian incident

H
Hanging judge Heckler's veto

K
Kangaroo court

L
Legal technicality Legal threat List of political offences that attract jail terms in China

M
Misdemeanor murder Moot court A moron in a hurry

N
Nonce (slang)

O
Ordinary Decent Criminal (slang)

P
Panelist Perp walk

P cont.
Philadelphia lawyer Purge

S
SODDI Defense Secret trial Short, sharp shock Show trial Shu Fan movement Small penis rule

T
Testilying Turn state's evidence

U
Unring the bell

W
Witch-hunt

Z
Zhen Fan he following 191 pages are in this category, out of 452 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).

*
List of legal Latin terms

B cont.
Benefactor Beneficiary Best interests Bifurcation (law) Black letter law Blunt instrument Bonded warehouse Book of business (law) Brought to trial

D cont.
Defendant Deliberation Demand guarantee Detainee Dictum Direct evidence Direct examination Dispositive motion Disrespecting the police Disseisor Dissolution (law) Divesting abandonment Docket (court) Doing business as Double closing Double escrow Double jeopardy Double majority

A
Abandonment Abeyance Absenteeism Absolute immunity Abstract of judgment Accession Accessory (legal term) Accord and satisfaction Acknowledgment (law) Acquiescence Act (document) Act of God Acting (law) Actual malice Actual notice Adjourned in Contemplation of Dismissal

C
Call of Duty (legal) Capital call Carnal knowledge Case of first impression Cease and desist Cert pool Chain of title Champerty and maintenance

Adjudication Administration of an estate on death Administrative proceeding Adverse inference Adverse party Adverse possession Affirmation in law Affray Affreightment After-acquired property Age of majority Age of candidacy Aggravation (legal concept) Agreement in principle Aleatory contract All rights reserved Allegation Alluvion Ampliative Antecedent (law) Appellate jurisdiction Appointee Apportionment Appropriate adult Appropriation (law) Approved instrument Arbitrariness Arbitration award Arguido Argumentative Arraignment

Change of venue Charge (youth) Charging order Codicil (will) Coercion Collateral consequences of criminal charges Collateral descendant Collateral estoppel Collective redress Comity Commencement of action Common carrier Common law adoption Community standards Compass (law) Complaint Compounding a felony Confession of judgment Confusing similarity Connivance Constructive fraud Constructive notice Consumer product Contingent fee Continuance Controlling law Controversy Controversy (law) Conviction

Dual sovereignty doctrine Due process Dumb laws Duplicity (law)

E
Earnest payment Emanation of the state Embracery Emphyteutic lease En banc Encumbrance Enrolled bill doctrine Entities of interest Equity (law) Equity of redemption Escrow European Authorized Representative Europeanisation of law Eurotort Exclusion clause Excuse (legal) Executor Executory contract Extenuating circumstances Extraordinary resolution

F
Fact-finding Fair comment False pretenses

Art equity As is Asset protection Assignment (law) Attendant circumstance Attorney at law (United States) Avulsion (legal term)

Corporate opportunity Coverture Creature of statute Creditor's rights Cross-claim Cross-examination Culpability Culpable homicide Culprit Curtilage

Family purpose doctrine Fault (legal) Fear or provocation of violence Fee simple Fee tail Feigned action Felony Fictitious defendants Field of use Filing (legal) Fleeing felon rule Fleeting expletive Force (law) Foreign corporation Form of action Fuero Fundamental justice Further and better particulars

B
Bad faith Bail Balance of interests Bar (law) Barclays Bank Ltd v Quistclose Investments Ltd Barratry Bench (law) Bench (metonymy)

D
Deadlock provision Decisional law Decisory Oath Declarant Declaration (law) Declaration of mailing Defeasance Defeasible estate

G
Gag order (previous 200) (next 200)

G
Generally recognized as safe and effective Giglio material Good cause Good faith Grandfather clause

L cont.
Legal opinion Legal recourse Legal terrorism Legal transplant Legalization (international law)

P cont.
Partible inheritance Party (law) List of patent legal concepts Patent of precedence Per curiam decision Perfection (law)

Grant deed Grievous bodily harm Gross negligence

Legally adjudicated newspaper Legislative initiative Letter Rogatory Liberal legalism Libert condizionata Lien Lien avoidance Line of hereditary succession Lineal descendant List of legal abbreviations List of objections (law) Literary executor Litigant in person Living trust Local ordinance Lost wages

Perjury Person of interest Personal representative Petitioner Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Plaintiff Plenary power Police caution Political subdivison Positive law Power of attorney Prayer for relief Preemption (law) Prejudgment writ of attachment Prejudice (legal procedure) Preliminary injunction Prescription (law) Presentence Investigation Principal (criminal law) Privity of estate Probate Procuration Protection From Abuse Public Order Act 1986 Public service company Punitive damages Pursuer

H
Harassment, alarm or distress Hardship clause Harmonisation of law Headnote Hearing (law) Hereditament Himalaya clause Homestead exemption Hotchpot Humanitarian access Hung jury Hypothec

I
Illegal per se Immediately (law) Immediately adjacent Immediately upon arrival Imminent lawless action Immunity from prosecution Imperfect self-defense Impleader Impunity In open court Inchoate lien Incidental damages Incorporation

M
Malfeasance Malice (legal term) Malicious mischief Mandate (criminal law) Market capitalization Material adverse change Materiality (law) Medical advice Meeting of the minds Merger doctrine Merit (legal) Ministerial act

(international law) Misappropriation Incumbent (ecclesiastical) Indirect liability Informed consent Informed refusal Injunction Intangible property Integration clause Intentional harassment, alarm or distress Interlocutory Inventory search IRAC Irreparable damage or injury Issuer Misconduct Misdemeanor Mitigation (legal) User talk:Mitsos/Archi ve 1 Moratorium (law) Motion for leave Motion to suppress Multiplepoinding Municipal law Mute of malice

Q
Qualified immunity Quasi-legislative Quitclaim deed

R
Race to the courthouse Reasonable person Rebuttable presumption Recharacterisation Recognizance Record sealing Rectification (law) Redirect examination Regulatory taking Relator (law) Relevance (law) Remand Remand (court procedure) Remand (imprisonment) Remittitur Repeal Reply (legal term) Respondent Responsible entity Retroactivity Reversible error Right of conquest Right of self-defense User talk:Robert

N
Named plaintiff Natural justice Natural person Negative pledge Next friend No-contest clause Nominate reports Non-suit Nonjoinder of party

J
Joinder Joint and several liability Jointure Judicial estoppel Jump bail Jury tampering

O
Objection (law) Officious intermeddler Open verdict Option fee Ordinary course of business Ordinary resolution Original jurisdiction Overcharge

L
Last antecedent rule Law French Law of the case Law of the land Leading question Legal advice Legal age

Legal death Legal district Legal doublet Legal hold Legal liability Legal nullity

Ownership

Prummel

P
Pain and suffering Parental consent Parole Partial verdict

S
Safe harbor Scrivener's error Seat (legal entity) Second lien loan Security of payment

S
Self-help (law) Sequestering Sequestration (law) Settlor Severability Severability clause Shareholders' agreement Shocks the conscience Shouting fire in a crowded theater Solatium Spamigation Special meaning Stationhouse bail Stipulated judgment Stipulation Stranger in blood Strategic lawsuit against public participation Straw man (law) Strike from the record Stuffed article

S cont.
Subject-matter jurisdiction Substantive law Succession

Summary jurisdiction Summons Sunset provision Surety Surplusage Surrebuttal Symbolic speech

T
Tacit relocation Taking Tangible property Tariff (criminal law) Tax lien Territorial principle Testamentary trust Title (property) Tracing (law) Translating "law" to other European languages Trust instrument

T cont.
Turbary

U
Under color of authority Underdeterminacy (law) Unenforceable Unfair competition Unnatural act Use (law)

V
Valid claim Verdict

Violent Disorder Void (law) Void for vagueness Voidable Voluntary association Voting trust

W
Ward (law) Warrant of committal Warrant of delivery Willful violation Words of purchase Writ