COLLEGE OF LAW

1. LEX TUTISSIMA CASSIS SUB CLYPEO LEGIS NEMO DECIPITUR

Latin, meaning Law is the safest helmet; under the shield of the law no one is deceived.

2. consensus facit legem  -Consent makes the law

Imperator erat ex officio quoque dux exercitus.

The emperor was by virtue of his position also the leader of the army

corruptissima re publica plurimae leges In the most corrupt state are the most laws (Terence)

cursus curiae est lex curiae The practice of the court is the law of the court

de minimis non curat lex The law does not concern itself with trifles

durum hoc est sed ita lex scripta est This is harsh but the law is written

dura lex sed lex The law is hard, but it is the law

contra ius commune Against common law

contra ius gentium Against the law of nations

custodia legis In the custody of law

concordia discors Harmony in discord (Horace)

adversus solem ne loquitor Don't speak against the sun (i.e., don't argue an obvious fact)

disputandi pruritus ecclesiarum scabies An itch for disputation is the incurable disease of the church

ad verecundiam Appeal to modesty in an argument

componere lites To settle disputes (Horace)

 

absens haeres non erit The absent one will not be heir

abusus non tollit usum Abuse of a right does not invalidate use

ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia Consequences of abuse do not aply to general use

curia advisari vult The court wishes to be advised

lex non distinguitur nos non distinguere debemus The law does not distinguish and so we ought not distinguish.

accipiunt leges, populus quibus legibus ex lex They consent to laws which place people beyond the pale of the law

ex curia Out of court

nolle prosequi To be unwilling to prosecute

Word Pronunciation Original Meaning Modern Meaning

affidavit uhf-fee-day-wit he pledged a sworn, written statement

bona fide boh-nuh fee-day

(in) good faith sincere, genuine

habeas corpus

ha-bay-us kor-pus

may you have the body

bring a person before a court

per diem pur dee-em per day, by the day daily

pro bono pro bo-no for the good done for free for the public good

status quo stuh-toos kwo the existing condition or state of affairs

how things are currently

sub poena

soob poi-na under the penalty an order commanding a person to appear in court under a penalty for not appearing

Word Pronunciation Original Modern Meaning

Meaning

ad hoc ad hok to this for a specific purpose, case, or situation

corpus delicti

kor-pus de-lick-tee

body of the crime

material evidence in a crime

de facto day fak-toe from the fact in reality; actually; in effect

de iure day you-ray from the law according to law; by right

ad infinitum ad in-fee-nee-toom

forever forever

in absentia in ab-sen-tee-ah in (his/her) absence

in (his/her) absence

in camera in ka-me-rah in a room in private; no spectators allowed

in loco parentis

in lo-ko pa-ren-tis in the place of a parent

in the place of a parent

ipso facto eep-so fak-toe by the fact itself by that very fact

locus delicti low-koos day-lick-tee

scene of the crime

scene where a crime took place

modus operandi

moh-dus o-per-un-dee

mode of working

method of operating

nolo contendere

no-lo kon-ten-de-re

I do not wish to contend

a plea by the defendant that's equivalent to an admission of guilt (and leaves him subject to punishment) but allows him the legal option to deny the charges later

prima facie pree-mah fah- at first face at first sight

key-ay

pro forma pro for-ma for the sake of form

done as formality, done for the show

quid pro quo kwid pro kwo this for that something for something; tit for tat; an equal exchange

Word Pronunciation Original Meaning

Modern Meaning

a mensa et toro

ah men-sa eht to-row

from table and bed

legal separation

casus belli ka-soos bel-lee occasion of war an event that justifies a war

cui bono coo-ee bo-no for whom the good

whom does it benefit?

(in) flagrante delicto

in fla-gran-tay day-lick-toe

while the crime is burning

red-handed, in the act

inter alia in-ter ah-lee-ah among other things

among other things

mutatis mutandis

moo-tah-tees moo-tun-dees

having changed what must be changed

after making the necessary changes

non compos mentis

non kom-posmen-tis

not of sound mind

mentally incompetent

obiter dictum

oh-bee-terdeek-toom

something said in passing

something a judge says in arguing a point, but has no bearing on the final decision

onus probandi

oh-nis pro-bun-dee

burden of proving

burden of proof

pendente lite

pen-den-taylee-tay

while judgment is pending

a case in progress

res ipsa loquitur

rays eep-sa lo-kwee-tur

the matter itself speaks

it goes without saying

sine qua non

see-nay kwa non without which not

an indispensable condition; a prerequisite

sine die see-nay dee-ay without a day postponed indefinitely

sub judice sub you-dee-kay under the judge pending judgment

ultra vires ool-trah wee-rays beyond strength

outside one's jurisdiction