Latin and Greek terminology
Latin and Greek legal terms: meanings and examples
Law, rights, courts, and public life.
80 entries with source words, meanings, and examples. Search or filter this collection in the app.
Courts & proceedings
- habeas corpus — Review of detention
A petition for habeas corpus
- amicus curiae — Friend of the court
An amicus brief
- pro se — For oneself
A pro se litigant
- pro bono — For the public good
Pro bono representation
- subpoena — An order to appear or produce material
A subpoena for records
- in camera — In private judicial consideration
An in camera review
- ex parte — From one side
An ex parte application
- in limine — At the threshold
A motion in limine
- sub judice — Under judicial consideration
A matter sub judice
- per curiam — By the court
A per curiam opinion
- certiorari — Discretionary review by a higher court
A petition for certiorari
- mandamus — An order to perform a legal duty
A writ of mandamus
- quo warranto — By what authority
A quo warranto proceeding
- coram nobis — Before us
A writ of coram nobis
- nolle prosequi — Unwilling to pursue
Entering a nolle prosequi
- nolo contendere — No contest
A nolo contendere plea
- in forma pauperis — In the manner of a person without means
Proceeding in forma pauperis
- pendente lite — While litigation is pending
Pendente lite support
- ad litem — For the proceeding
A guardian ad litem
- sua sponte — On one's own initiative
Acting sua sponte
- nunc pro tunc — Now for then
A nunc pro tunc entry
- sine die — Without a set day
Adjournment sine die
- in absentia — In a person's absence
A hearing in absentia
- affidavit — A sworn written statement
Signing an affidavit
- forum non conveniens — An unsuitable forum
A forum non conveniens motion
Decisions & reasoning
- de novo — Anew
De novo review
- stare decisis — Follow precedent
Reliance on stare decisis
- res judicata — Claim preclusion
A res judicata argument
- ratio decidendi — Reason for deciding
Identifying the ratio decidendi
- obiter dictum — An incidental judicial remark
An observation described as dictum
- prima facie — At first appearance
Prima facie evidence
- a fortiori — With stronger reason
An a fortiori argument
- ad hoc — For this purpose
An ad hoc committee
- de facto — In fact or in practice
De facto control
- de jure — By law
De jure authority
- ab initio — From the beginning
Void ab initio
- ipso facto — By that fact itself
An ipso facto consequence
- per se — In itself
A per se rule
- de minimis — Too slight to warrant attention
A de minimis difference
- mutatis mutandis — With necessary changes
Applying a provision mutatis mutandis
- ejusdem generis — Of the same kind
An ejusdem generis interpretation
- expressio unius est exclusio alterius — Expressing one may exclude another
An expressio unius argument
- noscitur a sociis — Known by its companions
Using noscitur a sociis
- inter alia — Among other things
A judgment discussing, inter alia, costs
Responsibility & conduct
- mens rea — Required mental state
Proving mens rea
- actus reus — Prohibited conduct
The actus reus of an offense
- bona fide — In good faith
A bona fide transaction
- mala fide — In bad faith
A claim of mala fide conduct
- ultra vires — Beyond one's powers
An ultra vires act
- in loco parentis — In the place of a parent
Acting in loco parentis
- res ipsa loquitur — The thing speaks for itself
Invoking res ipsa loquitur
- respondeat superior — Let the superior answer
Liability under respondeat superior
- corpus delicti — The substance of an offense
Establishing the corpus delicti
- mala in se — Wrongs considered inherently wrongful
Conduct described as mala in se
- mala prohibita — Wrongs because they are prohibited
Conduct described as mala prohibita
- in pari delicto — In equal fault
An in pari delicto defense
Property & agreements
- caveat emptor — Let the buyer beware
A caveat emptor rule
- quid pro quo — Something for something
An exchange described as quid pro quo
- inter vivos — Between living people
An inter vivos gift
- in rem — Concerning a thing
An in rem proceeding
- in personam — Concerning a person
In personam jurisdiction
- quantum meruit — As much as deserved
A claim in quantum meruit
- per stirpes — By family branch
Distribution per stirpes
- per capita — By head or person
Distribution per capita
- pro rata — In proportion
A pro rata payment
- pari passu — On equal footing
Claims ranking pari passu
- lis pendens — A pending lawsuit
Recording a lis pendens notice
- lex loci — Law of the place
Lex loci contractus
- pacta sunt servanda — Agreements must be kept
The principle pacta sunt servanda
- jus cogens — A peremptory norm
A jus cogens norm
Roots of public life
- lex / leg- — Law
legislation
- jus / jur- — Right or law
jurisprudence
- nom/o — Law or custom
autonomy
- polit- — City or civic life
political
- dem/o — People or citizen body
democracy
- crat- / -cracy — Power or rule
aristocracy
- arch- / -archy — Leadership or rule
monarchy
- eth- / eth/o — Custom or character
ethics
- amnest- — Forgetting or overlooking
amnesty
- synallagm- — Exchange or reciprocal agreement
synallagmatic