legal maxims

pari materia

of the same matter

nemo debet esse judex propria causa

no man can be a judge in his own case

res judicata pro veritate accipitur

a desicion once rendered in a competent court on a matter in issue between the parties become final

obiter dicta

a conclusion based on a fact the existence of which is determined by the court

res ipsa loquitur

things speak for itself ; proving negligence lies upon the party who alleges it

nemo dat quod non habet

no one gives what they do not have

qui facit per alium facit per se

law of agency ; he who acts thorough another acts on his own

de die in diem

from day to day ; continuing cause of action

bona vacantia

ownerless assets or abandoned property

actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea

guilty act , guilty mind

doli incapax

deemed incapable of forming intent to commit crime due to age

ignorantia facti excusat, ignorantia juris non excusat

ignorance of fact is a excuse , ignorance of law is not

de minimis non curat lex

the law does not concern itself with trifles

corpus delicti (legal)

the body of crime

ex post facto

retroactive ; if law not enforced of time then not crime

salus populi suprema lex

the welfare of the people is the supreme law

injuria sine damnum

injury without damages

damnum sine injuria

damages without injury

ubi juris ibi remedium

where there is a right there is a remedy

amicus curiae

friend of the court

locus standi

right to action or to appear in court

audi alteram parem

listen to the other side

stare decisis

to stand by decided cases

ratio decidendi

the rationale decision

per incuriam

through inadvertance ( court decided to ignore previous precedents )

noscitur a sociis

knowing from association

esjudem generis

of the same kind of nature and kind

assentio mentium / consensus ad idem

meeting of minds

caveat emptor

let the buyer be aware

bona fide

in good faith

quid pro quo

something in return for someone else

ad valorem

according to value