Legal Latin phrases

Question 0

actio in rem

Answer 0

action for a thing

Question 1

ab initio

Answer 1

from the beginning

Question 2

ad litem

Answer 2

for the purpose of a lawsuit

Question 3

animus testandi

Answer 3

the intention of making a will

Question 4

audi alteram partem

Answer 4

here the other side

Question 5

bona fide

Answer 5

in good faith

new, modern meaning:

Question 6

caveat emptor

Answer 6

let the buyer beware

Question 7

caveat scriptor

Answer 7

let the signer beware

Question 8

compos mentis

Answer 8

sound of mind

Question 9

culpa lata

Answer 9

gross negligence

Question 10

curator bonis

Answer 10

a guardian for goods or estate

Question 11

de facto

Answer 11

according to fact

Question 12

de jure

Answer 12

according to law

Question 13

de minimis non curat lex

Answer 13

the law takes no account of trifles

Question 14

doli capax

Answer 14

capable of crime

Question 15

doli incapax

Answer 15

incapable of crime

Question 16

dolus

Answer 16

criminal intention

Question 17

ex facie

Answer 17

at face value

Question 18

ex parte

Answer 18

from one party

Question 19

habeas corpus

Answer 19

you must have the person (physically present in court before a judge)

Question 20

in loco parentis

Answer 20

in the place of a parent

Question 21

in re

Answer 21

in the matter of

Question 22

inter alia

Answer 22

among other things

Question 23

ipso facto

Answer 23

by the fact itself

Question 24

ipso jure

Answer 24

by the law itself

Question 25

justa causa

Answer 25

just cause

Question 26

locus standi

Answer 26

a right to appear in court

Question 27

mala fide

Answer 27

in bad faith

Question 28

mens rea

Answer 28

guilty mind; criminal intention

Question 29

modus operandi

Answer 29

matter of working

Question 30

non compos mentis

Answer 30

not sound of mind

Question 31

obiter dictum

Answer 31

incidental remark; non-binding opinion

Question 32

per annum

Answer 32

per year

Question 33

per capita

Answer 33

per head

Question 34

per se

Answer 34

by itself

Question 35

persona non grata

Answer 35

an unacceptable person

Question 36

prima facie

Answer 36

at first glance

Question 37

pro forma

Answer 37

as a matter of form

Question 38

pro rata

Answer 38

according to one’s share

Question 39

qui facit per alium facit per se

Answer 39

one who does something through another does it by himself

Question 40

quid pro quo

Answer 40

one thing for another

Question 41

sine qua non

Answer 41

without which not; a necessary condition

Question 42

sub judice

Answer 42

under the judge