A

• A Fortiori

  By even greater force of logic

• A Posteriori

  From what comes later

• A Priori

  From what comes before

• Ab Initio

  From the beginning

• Aberratio Ictus

  Mistake in the blow

• Ad Litem

  For the purposes of the suit

• Ad Testificandum

  Give testimony

• Ad Valorem

  Proportional to the value of the thing taxed

• Adjournment Sine Die

  The ending of a deliberative assembly’s or court’s session without setting a time to reconvene

• Amicus Curiae

  Friend of the court

• Animus Manendi

  Intention to Remain

• Animus Possidendi

  Intention to Possess

• Animus Revertendi

  Intent to Return

• Attractive Nuisance

  Dangerous instrumentalities or appliances of a character likely to attract children in play

B

• Bill of Attainder

  Legislative act which inflicts punishment without trial

C

• Caveat Emptor

  Buyer beware

• Comity

  Recognition that one nation allows within its territory to the legislative, executive, or judicial acts of another nation

• Corpus Delicti

  Body, foundation, or substance of a crime

D

• De Facto

  Having effect even though not formally or legally recognized

• De Jure

  Existing by right or according to law

• Devisee

  One who is named in a will to receive (specific) real property

• Doli Incapax

  Incapable of committing a crime or tort

• Duces Tecum

  Bring specified documents, records, or things.

E

• Ejusdem Generis

  Of the same kind or class

• Enrolled Bill

  Official attestation by the two houses of such bill as one that has passed Congress

• Error In Personae

  Mistake of the person

• Ex Abundanti Cautela

  To be on the safe side

• Ex Officio

  By virtue or because of an office

• Ex Parte

  From one party only usually without notice to or argument from the adverse party

• Ex Post Facto

  Law that punishes a party for acts antecedently done which were not punishable at all

F

• Forum Non Conveniens

  Court may refuse jurisdiction where it is not the most convenient forum

• Functus Officio

  Duties and functions of the original commission have been fully accomplished.

H

• Habeas Corpus

  A writ employed to bring a person before a court

I

• Ignorantia Facti Excusat

  Mistake of fact is an excuse

• Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat

  Ignorance of the law excuses no one

• In Pari Delicto

  Equally at fault; neither party is entitled to protection

• In Personam

  Against a person

• In Rem

  Involving or determining the status of a thing

• Indorse/ Endorse

  The placing of a signature, on the back of a negotiable instrument to transfer the instrument

• Injunction

  A court order commanding or preventing an action

• Innocent Passage

  The right of a foreign ship to pass through a country's territorial waters

• Inofficious

  Contrary to a natural duty of affection

• Inter vivos

  During Lifetime

• Ipso Facto

  By the fact itself

• Ipso Jure

  By operation of law

J

• Jus Cogens

  Compelling law; peremptory and non-derogable norms

• Jus Sanguinis

  Child's citizenship is determined by the parents' citizenship

• Jus Soli

  Child’s citizenship is determined by place of birth

L

• Laches

  Unreasonable delay in pursuing a right or claim

• Last Clear Chance

  One who had the last clear opportunity to avoid the loss but failed to do so, is chargeable with the...

• Legatee

  One who is named in a will to receive (specific) personal property

• Legitime

  The part of a testator's property that his or her children (and occasionally other heirs) are legally entitled to regardless...

• Lesion

  Loss from another's failure to perform a contract

• Letter Rogatory

  A document issued by one court to a foreign court, requesting that the foreign court take evidence or serve process

• Lien

  A legal right that a creditor has in another’s property

• Lis Pendens

  A pending lawsuit

• Loco Parentis

  Special Parental Authority ; in the place of the parent

• Locus Standi

  Legal standing; personal and substantial interest

M

• Mala In Se

  Inherently immoral

• Malum prohibitum

  Not inherently immoral but punished because law says so

• Mens Rea

  Guilty mind, criminal intent

• Mora Accipiendi

  Delay on the part of obligee (creditor)

• More Solvendi

  Delay on the part of the obligor (debtor)

• Mortis Causa

  In Contemplation of Death

P

• Pacta Suct Servanda

  International agreements must be performed in good faith

• Parole Evidence Rule

  When the terms of an agreement have been reduced to writing, it is considered as containing all the terms agreed...

• Praeter Intentionem

  Lack of intent to commit so grave a wrong

• Pro Hac Vice

  For this one particular occasion only

• Processual Presumption

  Presumption that the foreign law is the same as our local law

• Proximate Cause

  That which, in natural and continuous sequence, unbroken by any efficient intervening cause, produces injury, and without which the result...

R

• Rebus Sic Stantibus

  Doctrine of Unforeseen events

• Renvoi

  Sending Back, court resorts to foreign law which in turn refers the court back to the law of the forum

• Replevin

  Repossession of Personal Property

• Res Ipsa Loquitor

  Thing or transaction speaks for itself

• Res Nullius

  Things whose ownership may be acquired by occupation

S

• Salus Populi Suprema Est Lex

  Welfare of the people is the highest law