A Simple Guide To Legal Maxims

A Fortiori : With strong reason
A Priori : From the cause to the effect A. Antiquo : From ancient times A. Initio : From the very beginning
Abiure : To renounce on oath or affirmation
Acta Extoriora Indicant Interiora Secreta : Acts indicate the intention
Actus Legis Nemini Facit Injuriam : Law holds no man responsible for the act of god
Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea : A guilty mind is necessary to constitute a crime
Actus Reus : Wrongful act, the physical act of involving in the crime

AdHoc : For a particular purpose

Ad Idem : Of the same mind A. Referendum : For further consideration

Ad Rem : To the point

AdValorem : According to the value

Addenda : List of additions
Alias : Otherwise called
Alibi : Elsewhere
Alimony : Maintenance given by a husband to his divorced wife
Amicus Curiae : A friend of court, the name is given to lawyer appointed by a court to represent a poor litigant
Animus Attestandi : The intention of attesting
Animus Deserendi : The intention of deserting
Antenuptial : Before marriage
Assumpsit : He promised or undertook

Au Fait : Conversant with
Audi Alteram Partem : Hear the other side
Auterefois : A person cannot be tried for the same offence twice
Auterefois Acquit : Formerly acquitted
Auterefois Convict : Formerly convicted
Bailiff : A subordinate officer of the court who executes writs and other court orders
Bona Fide : In good faith, honestly
Bona Vacantia : Goods that do not have an owner. Generally they go to the finder
Boni Judici Est Ansliare Jurisdictioness : It is the part of a good judge to enlarge his jurisdiction.
Causa Celebre : A celebrated case
Causa Causans : The immediate cause
Carte Fide : In good faith, honesty
Causa Sine Qua Non : Factor essential to the occurring of event
Caveat : An order given to officers may 'let him beware'
Caveat Emptor : Let the buyer beware
Caveat Venditor : Let the seller beware
Canveat Viator : Let the traveller beware
Certiorari : An order of a higher court which quashes the decision of lower court
Compos Mentis : Of sound mind
Consensus, Non Concubitus, Facit Matrimonium : It is the consent of the parties, not their cohabitation which constitutes a valid marriage
Consensus Ad Idem : Agreement as to the same thing
Corpus Delicti : The substance of the crime
Coup D'etat : Violent or illegal change
Coup D'grace : Finishing stroke
Culpa : Wrongful default
Damnum Sine Injuria : Damage without legal injury 
De Die In Diem : From day to day 
De Facto : In fact 
De Jure : In law 
De Novo : New
Decree : Order of court pronounced after hearing the case
Decree Nisi : A conditional decree
Defeasible Right : Right which can be defeated
Doli Capax : Capable of crime
Doli Incapex : Incapable of crime
Double Jeopardy : A second prosecution for the same offence
Durante Absentia : During absence
Durante Vita : During life
Ejusdem Generis : Of the same kind, the rule that where particular words are followed by general words.
Emeritus : Retired after long service
En Bloc : All at the same time
En Masse : In a body
Ex Aequo Et Bono : In justice and good faith
Ex Contractu : Arising out of contract
Ex Curia : Out of court
Ex Delicto : Arising out of wrong
Ex Gratia : As a favour
Ex Nudo Pacto – Non Oitur Actio : An action does not arise from a bare promise
Ex Officio : By virtue of office
Ex Parte : In the absence of one party
Ex Post Facto : Acting retrospectively
Expressio Unius Est Exclusio Alterius : Express mention of one thing implies the exclusion of another
Extra Vires : Beyond powers
Factum : An act or deed
Factum Probantia : Facts which are given in evidence to prove other facts in crime
Faux Pas : Tactless mistake
Flagrante Delicto : In the commission of the offence
Force Majeure : Beyond one's control
Habeas Corpus : A court order which directed the person to produce before a court who illegally detained beyond twenty four hours before
Honoris Causa : As mark of esteem
Ibid : In the same place
Ignorantia Facti Excusat—
Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat : Ignorance of the fact is an excuse but ignorance of the law does not excuse
Ignoratia Juris Non Excusat : Ignorance of law has no excuse
Impasse : An insoluble difficultyIn Curia : In open court

In Loco Parentis : In the place of a parent
In Memoriam : In memory of
In Pari Delicto : Where both parties are equally in fault
In Pari Materia : Where two enactments have a common purpose in an analogous case
In Personam : Proceeding or directed against or reference to a specific person
In Re : In the matter ofIn Rem : Right available against the world at large
In Situ : In its original situation
In Toto : Wholly

Infra : Below
Injuria Sine Damunum : Legal injury without actual damage
Innuendo : An innocent statement which a hidden defamatory meaning
Inter Alia : Among other things
Inter Vivos : Made between people who are alive
Intestate : Dying without leaving will
Intra Vires : Within power
Ipso Facto : By reason of that fact
Jus : Right
Jus Naturale : Law of nature, natural justice
Laissez Faire : Doctrine of non-interference by state in economy
Lex : Statute
Lex Fori : The law of the court in which the case is tried
Lex Loci : The law of a place
Lex Non Cogit Ad Impossibilia : Law cannot compel a person who is not possible to perform
Lis Pendens : A pending suit
Locus Standi : Right to be heard in court
Mala Fide : With bad faith
Mandamus : We command
Manifesta Probatione Non Indiget : Things manifest do not require proof.
Mens Rea : Guilty mind
Mesne : Intermediate
Mesne Profits : Damage payable by trespassers who have stayed in possession after their right to occupy land has ended
Modus Operandi : Mode of operating
Mutatis Mutandis : With necessary changes being made
Nemo Debet Esse Judex In Propria Sua Causa : No man can be judge in his own cause
Nemo Tenetur Seipsum Accusore : No man can be compelled to incriminate himself
Nisi : Ineffective unless person affected fails to show cause
Non Assumpsit : He did not promise
Non Compos Mentis : Not of sound mind
Non Obstante : Notwithstanding
Noscitur A Sociis : Meaning of word can be gathered from context
Noscitur A Socvis : Meaning of a doubtful word may be ascertained by reference to the meaning of words associated with it
Nota Bene (Nb) : Take notice
Nudum Pactum : An enforceable contract
Nullus Commodum Capere Potest, De Injuria Sua Propria: No man can take advantage of his own wrong
Obiter Dicta : Remark of a judge
Obiter Dictum : Judge's opinion
Par Excellence : Eminently
Pendente Lite : Pending litigation
Per : As stated by
Per Annum : By the year
Per Capita : Individually
Per Curiam : By the court
Per Incuriam : Wrong decision by court, by oversight
Per Se : By itself
Prima Facie : On the first sight
Pro Bono Publico : For the good of the public
Pro Rata : In proportion
Quantum Merit : As a person earned
Quash : Making null or invalid or making end to a legal proceeding
Quasi Contract : A contract between a party comes
Quasi Judicial : Sharing of qualities of and approximating to what is judicialPolitical
Qui Facit Per Alium Facit Per Se : He who acts through another is deemed to act in person
Qui Per Alium Facit Per Seipsum—
Facere Videtur : He who does an act through another is deemed in law to do it himself
Quid Pro Quo : Something for something
Quo Warranto : Order of a court in the form of writ directed the person in authority to show by what right he claim it
Quorum : Minimum number of persons necessary for conduct of proceeding of parliament
Quo Jure : By what right
Raison D'etre : Reason for the existence of a thing
Rapprochement : Restoration of harmonious relations
Ratio Decidendi : Principle laid down by the court in deciding a case
Rebus Sic Stantibus : Binding bill circumstances remain the same
Res Gestae : The facts so connected with a fact in issue so as to explain its nature
Res Judicata : A case already decided
Res Nullis : A things which has no owner
Respondent Superior : Let the principle be held responsible
Responsa Prudentium : The answer of the learned in law. - The opinions and decisions of learned lawyers
Salus Populi Est Suprema Lex : The welfare of the people is the paramount law
Sine Die : Indefinitely
Sine Qua Non : Indispensable condition.
Spes Successionis : Mere hope of succeeding to property
Stare Decisis : The principle that decision of courts in previous cases must be followed in subsequent cases of similar nature45B
Status Quo : To maintain the present state of affairs
Statute : An act of parliament
Sub Judice : Under judicial consideration or in course of trial
Subpoena : An order of a court to a person to appear and give evidence before it
Sui Generis : The only one of its kind
Suo Moto : On its own
Supra : Above
Tort : Civil wrong
Trespass : To pass beyond
Turpis Causa : A base on which no action can be founded, the maxim being ex turpi causa non oritur actis U Uberrinae Fide : Of the utmost good faith Ubi Jus Remedium : Where there is a right there is a remedy Ultra Vires : Beyond the power55C
Vide : Refer to
Vigilantibus, Non Dormientibus, Jura Subveniunt : The law assists those who are vigilant, not those who sleep over their rights
Vis Major : Irresistible force
Void : Have no legal effect
Void Ab Initio : Void from very beginning
Volenti Non-fit Injuria : Damage suffered by consent is not a cause of action
Voluntas In Delictis Non Exitus Spectatur : In crimes, the intention, and not the result, is looked into.