Chapter 23: Legal Latin Phrases

Latin Phrases

A fortiori - from stronger

A priori - from earlier

Ab initio - from the beginning

Actus reus - guilty act

Ad hominem - at the person

Ad litem - for the case

Amicus Curiae - friend of the court

Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware

Certiorari - to be apprised

Contra Bonos Mores - against good morals

Corpus juris - body of law

De facto - in fact

De Jure - according to law

De minimis - about the smallest things

De novo - anew

Ejusdem generis - of the same class

Ex parte - from [for] one party

Ex post - from after

Ex post facto - from a thing after

Ferae naturae - wild animals by nature

Fiat - let it be done

Habeas corpus - may you have the body

In loco parentis - in the role of a parent

In re - in the matter

In rem - about a thing

Infra - below or under

Inter alia - among others

Inter vivos - between the living

Ipse dixit - he himself said it

Jus Soli - right of soil

Lex loci - the law of the place

Lingua franca - the Frankish language

Lis pendens - suit pending

Locus delicti - place of the crime

Mea culpa - through my fault

Mens rea - guilty mind

Modus operandi - manner of operation

Motion in limine - motion at the start

Nolle prosequi - not to prosecute

Nunc pro tunc - now for then

Per curiam - through the court

Per se - by itself

Post hoc ergo propter hoc - after this, therefore because of this

Pro bono - for good

Pro se - for himself

Prima facie - at first place

Pro Tem - for the time being

Quantum meruit - as much as it deserves

Res Ipsa Loquitur - the things speaks for itself

Res Judicata - a matter judged

Stare decisis - to stand by [tings] decided

Sua sponte - of its own accord

Supra - above

Viz. - abbreviation for videlicet, meaning “namely”