UNDERSTANDING LATIN LEGALESE

WORD ORIGINAL MEANING

MODERN MEANING

affidavit he pledged a sworn, written statement

bona fide (in) good faith sincere, genuine

habeas corpus may you have the body

bring a person before a court

per diem per day, by the day

daily

pro bono for the good done for free for the public good

status quo the existing condition or state of affairs

how things are currently

sub poena under the penalty

an order commanding a person to appear in court under a penalty for not appearing1

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

corpus delicti body of the crime

material evidence in a crime

de facto from the fact in reality; actually; in effect

de iure from the law according to law; by right

ad infinitum forever forever

in absentia in (his/her) absence

in (his/her) absence

in camera in a room in private; no spectators allowed

in loco parentis in the place of a parent

in the place of a parent

2

ipso facto by the fact itself by that very fact

locus delicti scene of the crime

scene where a crime took place

modus operandi mode of working

method of operating

nolo contendere 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 at first face at first sight

pro forma for the sake of form

done as formality, done for the show

3

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

a mensa at toro for table and bed legal separation

casus belli occasion of war an event that justifies a war

cui bono for whom the good

whom does it benefit?

(in) flagrante delicto

while the crime is burning

red-handed, in the act

inter alia among other things

among other things

mutatis mutandis

having charged what must be changed

after making the necessary changes

non compos mentis

not of sound mind mentally incompetent

obiter dictum something said in passing

something a judge says in arguing a point, but has no bearing on the final decision4

onus probandi

burden of proving

burden of proof

perdente lite while judgment is pending

a case in progress

res ipsa loquitur

the matter itself speaks

it goes without saying

sine qua non without which not

an indispensable condition; a prerequisite

sine die without a day postponed indefinitely

sub judice under the judge

pending judgment

ultra vires beyond strength

outside one’s jurisdiction

5