Legal Terms of Laws


(Guest)

Boni judicis lites dirimere est – It is the duty of a good judge to prevent litigation.

Bonus judex secundum aequum et bonum judicat et aequitatem stricto juri praefert – A good judge decides according to justice and right and prefers equity to strict law.

Breve judiciale non cadit pro defectu formae – A judicial writing does not fail through defect of form.

Aqua currit et debet currere, ut currere solebat – Water runs and ought to run.

Arbitrium est judicium – An award is a judgment.

Arbor dum crescit; lignum cum crescere nescit – A tree while it grows, wood when it cannot grow.

Argumentum ab auctoritate fortissimum est in lege – An argument drawn from authority is the strongest in law.

Argumentum ab impossibilii plurimum valet in lege – An argument from impossibility is very strong in law.

Argumentum ad hominem – An argument directed a the person.

Argumentum ad ignoratiam – An argument based upon ignorance (i.e. of one’s adversary).

Arma in armatos sumere jura sinunt – The laws permit the taking up of arms against the armed.

Assentio mentium – The meeting of minds, i.e. mutual assent.

Assignatus utitur jure auctoris – An assignee is clothed with rights of his assignor.

Audi alteram partem – Hear the other side.

Aula regis – The King’s Court.

 

B

Benignior sententia in verbis generalibus seu dubiis est preferenda – The more favorable construction is to be placed on general or doubtful words.

Bis dat qui cito dat – He gives (pays) twice who pays promptly.

Bona fide – Sincere, in good faith

Bona vacantia – Goods without an owner

Boni judicis est ampliare jurisdictionem – It is the part of a good judge to enlarge his jurisdiction, i.e. remedial authority.

Boni judicis est judicium sine dilatione mandare executioni – It is the duty of a good judge to cause execution to issue on a judgment without delay.

Ad quaestionem facti non respondent judices; ad quaestionem legis non respondent juratores – The judges do not answer to a question of fact; the jury do not answer to a question of Law.

Aedificare in tuo proprio solo non licet quod alteri noceat – It is not lawful to build on one’s own land what may be injurious to another.

Aequitas legem sequitur – Equity follows the law.

Aequitas nunquam contravenit legem – Equity never contradicts the law.

Alibi – At another place, elsewhere.

Alienatio rei praefertur juri accrescendi – Alienation is preferred by law rather than accumulation.

Aliunde – From elsewhere, or, from a different source

Allegans contraria non est audiendus – One making contradictory statements is not to be heard.

Allegans suam turpitudinem non est audiendus – One alleging his own infamy is not to be heard.

Allegatio contra factum non est admittenda – An allegation contrary to a deed is not to be heard.

Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est – An ambiguity is most strongly construed against the party using it.

Ambiguitas verborum patens nulla verificatione excluditur – A patent ambiguity is never helped by averment.

Amicus curiae – A friend of the Court.

Angliae jura in omni casu libertati dant favorem – The laws of England are favorable in every case to liberty.

Animo furandi – With an intention of stealing.

Animo testandi – With an intention of making a will.

Annus luctus – The year of mourning.

Ante – Before.

A mensa et thoro – From bed and board.

A vinculo matrimonii – From the bond of matrimony.

Ab extra – From outside.

Ab initio – From the beginning.

Absoluta sententia expositore non indiget – An absolute judgment needs no expositor.

Abundans cautela non nocet – Abundant caution does no harm.

Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale – An accessory does not draw, but follows its principal.

Accessorius sequitur – One who is an accessory to the crime cannot be guilty of a more serious crime than the principal offender.

Acta exteriora iudicant interiora secreta – Outward acts indicate the inward intent.

Actio non accrevit infra s*x annos – The action has not accrued within six years.

Actio non datur non damnificato – An action is not given to one who is not injured.

Actio personalis moritur cum persona – A personal action dies with the person.

Actiones legis – Law suits.

Actori incumbit onus probandi – The burden of proof lies on the plaintiff.

Actus nemini facit injuriam – The act of the law does no one wrong.

Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea – The act does not make one guilty unless there be a criminal intent.

Actus reus – A guilty deed or act.

Ad ea quae frequentius acciduunt jura adaptantur – The laws are adapted to those cases which occur more frequently.

Ad hoc – For this purpose.

Ad infinitum – Forever, without limit, to infinity.

Ad perpetuam rei memoriam – For a perpetual memorial of the matter.