Glossary
Ad litem For the suit or action. An adult must be appointed as a guardian ad litem to sign court documents for a minor.
Alibi Elsewhere, in another place. An affirmative defense to a criminal charge.
Bona fide In good faith. Can be used to express honesty, sincerity, or legitimacy.
Causa Cause. Used in references to causes of action.
Caveat Beware. Used as a warning.
Caveat emptor Let the buyer beware. A buyer who takes possession of an item “as is” accepts the item with all of its defects and can’t complain at a later time.
Codex A manuscript parchment or a code of laws.
Consensus Agreement.
Coram nobis Before us. A writ issued to correct an injury caused by a mistake made by the court.
Corpus delicti Evidence that a crime was committed. Sometimes used as the “body” (i.e., elements) of the crime although in a murder case, no “body” need be found.
Corpus juris Body of law. The collected laws of the state or country.
De facto In reality. Often used as “from the fact.”
De jure Sanctioned by law.
De novo Anew. An appellate court may review the facts supporting a judgment by motion de novo. After an arbitration, the court may set a case for trial de novo.
Duces tecum Bring with you. Attorneys may issue and cause to be served a subpoena duces tecum, notifying the persons named to appear at a certain date and place and to bring specified documents or things.
Ergo Therefore
Errata (plural); erratum (singular) Errors; or an error. Court rules or procedural statutes often allow a party to correct clerical errors in a pleading by filing an “errata.”
Et alia or Et. al. And others.
Et cetera or etc. And so on.
Et nunc et semper From now on.
Exampli gratia or e.g. For example.
Ex more According to custom.
Ex officio By virtue of the office. Used in reference to official acts or acts of a government officer.
Ex parte From one side only. Used to identify a contact by a party with a judge, arbitrator, or mediator without notifying the opponent.
Ex post facto From what is done afterward. An ex post facto law is one that’s designed to be applied retroactively, making some prior act or conduct that was legal at the time, illegal as of the date of the law’s enactment. Such laws are unconstitutional.
Habeas corpus You may have the body. A writ of habeas corpus provides immediate relief from illegal imprisonment by having the prisoner (“the body”) taken out of custody and brought before the court, to allow the court to decide whether or not law enforcement, corrections, or the prosecution has violated the incarcerated defendant’s constitutional rights.
Hic et nunc Here and now.
Hoc loco In this place.
Ibidem or ibid. The same place. Used in documents to refer to the citation just previously referenced.
Id est or i.e. That is.
In absentia In one’s absence. Some jurisdictions allow for a trial of a defendant in absentia on the grounds that by choosing not to appear, the defendant concedes the issues.
In camera In chambers. Hearings on sensitive issues are often heard in camera. Usually, the lawyers go to the judge’s chambers and, with or without a court reporter making a record, meet with the judge to discuss and resolve an issue. Some issues must be held in camera.
Incipit Here begins.
Indicia Signs or marks.
In extenso Word for word.
In extremis At the point of death.
In flagrante delicto While the wrong is blazing. Used to describe a wrong observed at the time it’s committed.
Infra Below.
In limine On the threshold.
In loco parentis In the place of the parent.
In perpetuum Forever. From this root stems the real estate concept of the rule of perpetuity.
In re Regarding.
In se In itself.
In situ In its natural location.
In statu quo In the same state.
Inter alia Among other things.
Inter alios Among other persons.
Inter nos Between or among ourselves.
Inter paras Between or among equals.
Inter se Between or among themselves.
Inter vivos Between living persons. Used in discussions of trusts and wills.
In toto Entirely.
Intra vires Within the powers.
Ipse dixit He himself has said it. Used in reference to an unsupported assertion or allegation.
Ipso facto By that very fact.
Lex loci The law of the place.
Licet It is allowed.
Lis pendens A pending suit.
Loco citato In the place cited.
Locum tenens A substitute or deputy. Doctors sometimes work under a locum tenens contract. This is a contract in which they agree to work as a doctor for a health care facility.
Locus delicti The scene of the crime.
Locus in quo The place in question.
Loquitor He or she speaks.
Mala fide In bad faith.
Mala in se Bad in itself. Used to describe certain crimes.
Malo animo With evil intent.
Mandamus We command. A petition might be for a writ of mandamus (mandate).
Manu propria By one’s own hand.
Mea culpa I am to blame.
Me iudice In my opinion.
Modus operandi Manner of working. Commonly used in police work and criminal law to describe the usual or customary manner in which a criminal carries out or commits a crime or crimes.
Multum in parvo Much in little.
Nolo contendere I do not wish to contend. In criminal law, this means a plea of “no contest,” which is treated for sentencing purposes the same as a guilty plea.
Non obstante Notwithstanding.
Non sequitur It does not follow. Used to describe a conclusion not justified by the preceding facts.
Obiter dictum An incidental remark. A comment inserted in a published opinion.
Onus probandi The burden of proof.
Pendente lite While the suit is pending.
Per annum Annually.
Per capita Individually.
Per contra On the contrary.
Per diem Daily.
Per incuriam Through carelessness.
Per interim Meanwhile.
Per se Intrinsically.
Per stirpes By the roots, by family. Often used in wills or documents establishing trusts for descendant family members.
Persona grata An acceptable person.
Posse comitatus A posse. Most states have a law allowing peace officers to deputize citizens by merely demanding their assistance in a police activity. Refusal to do so is often a crime.
Post mortem An autopsy.
Prima facie At first sight.
Pro bono publico or pro bono For the public good.
Pro forma As a formality.
Pro rata In proportion.
Pro tempore or pro tem Temporarily. Attorneys sometimes sit as judges pro tempore.
Post scriptus or P.S. A postscript.
Punctatum Point for point.
Quaere verum Seek the truth.
Quasi Sort of; as if.
Quid pro quo This for that. Used to describe something given in return for something.
Quo iure or quo jure By what right?
Quondam Former.
Re Concerning or regarding.
Recto Right.
Res ipsa loquitor The facts speak for themselves. Used in negligence suits offering the injury itself as proof of negligence.
Respondeat superior The higher responsibility. A doctrine under which an employer or superior officer is responsible for the actions of an employee or agent.
Scripsit He or she wrote it.
Sequitur It follows.
Seriatum In series.
Sic Thus; so; in such a way. Usually used to indicate a misspelling in an original source being quoted.
Sine die Until an unspecified date.
Sine dubio Without doubt.
Sine loco et anno Without place and date.
Sine mora Without delay.
Sine prole Without children.
Sine qua non An indispensable condition. Anything that’s sine qua non is absolutely necessary.
Sponte sua or sua sponte For one’s own good. Current legal usage refers to jury instructions which should be given sua sponte, i.e., they’re necessary for the proper decision of the jury.
Stare decisis Let the decision stand. A doctrine by which the published decision of an upper court is binding upon the courts beneath it in its jurisdiction.
Status Condition or state.
Status quo The same state.
Stet Let it stand.
Sub iudice Before the courts.
Subpoena Under penalty. Used to describe a document requiring a person to appear at a certain place and time under penalty of arrest if he or she fails to appear.
Sub rosa In strict confidence; secretly. In modern usage, describes a covert investigation or operation.
Sufficit It is sufficient.
Suo tempore At one’s own time.
Supra Above.
Ultima ratio The final argument.
Ultra vires Beyond legal authority.
Veritas Truth.
Versus Against.
Via A way.
Vice versa Conversely.
Vincit veritas Truth wins out.
Listen