Explore an extensive collection of Latin maxims and phrases commonly used in legal terminology, governance, equity, and everyday jurisprudence to understand their precise English meanings.
What Are Latin Maxims and Phrases in Law?
Latin maxims are established legal principles, rules, or propositions expressed in Latin that have been historically utilized across judicial systems to summarize complex concepts of equity, contract law, and statutory interpretation.
Latin Maxims Starting with A
- A communi observantia non est recedendum. There should be no departure from ordinary rules.
- A verbis legis non recedendum est. The words of the law must not be departed from.
- Acquitas agit in personam. Equity acts in person.
- Acta exteriora indicant interiora secreta. Overt acts make known latent thoughts, or Acts indicate the intention.
- Actio personalis moritur cum persona. A personal action dies with the person.
- Actus non facit reum, nisi mens sit rea. The act itself does not make a man guilty, unless his intention be so.
- Ad questiones facit non respondent judices; ad questiones juris non respondent juratores. A judge does not decide questions of fact, the jury do not decide questions of law.
- Adatu. From the date.
- Aequitas est quasi aequalitas. Equity delighteth in equality.
- Aequitas factum habet quod fieri oportuit. Equity considers that as done which ought to be done.
- Aequitus sequitur legem. Equity follows the law.
- Animus hominis est anima scripti. The intent of a man is the essence of his writing.
- Apices juris non sunt jura. The law must avoid the falsehood of extreme.
- Aqua cedit solo. Water passes with the soil.
- Aqua currit et debet currere. Water flows and should be allowed to flow.
- Ars longa, vita brevis. Art is long and life is short.
- Assignatus utitur jure auctoris. An assignee is clothed with the rights of his principal.
- Audi alteram partem. Hear the other side (i.e., Do not condemn a man unheard.)
- Auegans contraria non est audiendus. One who contradicts himself is not to be heard.
- Auotori incumbit onus proband. The onus of proof lies on the plaintiff.
Latin Maxims Starting with B
- Bello parta cedunt reipublicae. Things captured in war belong to State.
- Bis dat who cito dat. He gives twice who gives quickly.
- Boni judicis est lites dirimere ne lis ex lite. It is the duty of good judge to prevent litigation.
- Bonis non amovendis. That the goods be not removed.
- Breve judiciale non credit pro defectu formae. A judicial writ fails not through defect of form.
- By stander. One who stands near, a chance looker-on.
Latin Maxims Starting with C
- Causa causans: Proximate cause.
- Causa falsa. Due to error.
- Causa non secuta. Failure of consideration.
- Causa proxima non remota spectatur. The immediate, not the remote cause, is to be considered.
- Causam nobis significes quare. A writ to a mayor of a town.
- Caveat emptor qui ignorare non debuit quod jus alienum emit. Let a purchaser beware; no one ought in ignorance to buy that which is the right of another.
- Caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware (who ought not to be ignorant what he buys from another).
- Caveat venditor. Let the seller beware.
- Censor. One who examines publications, films and the like for objectionable content.
- Cessante causa, cessat effectus. When the cause ceases the effect ceases also.
- Cessante ratione legis, cessat ipsa lex. The reason of the law being at an end, the law itself ceases. - Steele
- Charta de non ente valet. A deed about a non-existent thing is not valid.
- Chose-in-action: An actionable claim.
- Civitas dei. Commonwealth of God.
- Civitas maxima. Community of civilised mankind.
- Civitas terrena. Mundane (worldly) commonwealth.
- Compossessio. Common possession Compulsa. A judicial attested copy of a testimonio.
- Conditio sine qua non. A condition without which the matter cannot be or Necessary condition.
- Consensus tollit errorem. Consent removes a mistake.
- Consentientes et agentes pari poena plectentur. The abettor and the doer receive the same punishment.
- Corpus delicti. The body i.e. the gist of the offence.
- Corpus juris canonic. Canon law; law governing the Church possession of material object.
- Corpus possidendi. Physical Culpa lata dole equiparatur. Gross negligence is equivalent to intentional wrong.
- Cum confitente sponte, mitius est agendum. He who willingly confesses, should be dealt with more leniently. appointed by court to care for.
- Curator. A temporary guardian property or person of a minor.
- Custos morum. Custodian of marality.
Latin Maxims Starting with D
- Damage feasant. To whom damage is done.
- Damnum sentit dominus. The Lord suffers the damage.
- Damnum sine injuria esse potest. All damages done is not wrongful.
- De bonis asportasis. Wrongful taking of goods ( in case of trespass).
- Debite fundamentum fetill opus. When the foundation falls everything falls.
- Debitor non praesumitur donare. A debtor is not presumed to give.
- Debitum et contractus sunt nullius loci. Debts and contracts are of no place.
- Deficiente uno non potest esse haeres. There being no unity of blood, one cannot be heir.
- Delegata potestas non potest delegari. A delegate cannot further delegate.
- Delegatus non potest delegare. An agent cannot delegate his authority.
- Delict. Wrong; tort.
- Deolo malo pactum se non servabit. A pact made with malicious intent will not be upheld.
- Dies inceptus pro complete habetur. A day begun is held as complete.
- Dolosus versatur in generalibus. A deceiver deals in generalities.
- Dolus malus. Wrongdul intent.
Latin Maxims Starting with E
- Ejus nulla culpa est cui parere necesse sit. He is not any fault who is bound to obey.
- En ventre sa mere. Child in mother's womb.
- Ex aequo et bono. From fair and right.
- Ex dolo malo non oritur actio. An action do not arise from a fraud.
- Ex facto jus oritur. The law becomes operative after the fact.
- Ex majori cantela. As a matter of abundant caution.
- Ex nihilo nihil fild. Nothing happens without cause.
- Ex pacto illicito non oritur action. No action arises out of an illicit bargain.
- Ex turpi caus non oritur actio. No action arises from an immoral cause {or base consideration).
- Exceptio probat regulam. Exception proves the rule.
- Executio juris non habet injuriam. The execution of the law works no injury.
Latin Maxims Starting with F
- Facts sunt potantiora verbis. Acts or deeds are more powerful than words.
- Falsus in uno falsus in omnibus. False in one thing false in all.
- Fictio juris. Legal fiction.
- Fons juris. Sources of law.
- Fractionem diei non recipit lex. The law takes no note of a fraction of a day.
- Fraus est celare fraudem. It is fraud to conceal fraud.
- Fraus est odiosa et non praessumenda. Fraud is hateful and not to be presumed.
- Fraus latet in generalibus. Fraud lies hid in general expression.
Latin Maxims Starting with I
- Ignorantia facti excusat: Ignorance of a fact is excused.
- Ignorantia juris haud excusat : Ignorance of the law is by no means an excuse.
- Ignorantia juris non excusat: Ignorance of law is not excused.
- Impotentia excusat legem: Impotency excuses law In.
- Fictione juris semper acquitas existit: Equity is the life of a legal fiction.
- In judicio non creditur nisi juratis. In a trial only sworn witnesses are believed.
- continetur. The part is contained in the whole.
- Infra etatem: Under age, not of age, applied to minors.
- Iniquum est aliquem rei sui ese judicem. It is improper for a person to be a judge in his own cause. -Ballentine
- Injuria non excusat injuriam. Injury of one sort will not make another injury lawful.
- Injuria non praesumitur. Injury is not presumed.
- Injuria sine damno. An infringement of a legal private right without any actual loss or damage.
- Intentio caeaj mala. The secret intention is evil.
- Interest reipublicae, ut sit finis litium. It is to the advantage of the State that there should be a limit to lawsuits.
- Intestate. To die without a will.
- Ius est ars boni et aequi. Law is the art of the good and the just.
- Judex est lex loquens. A judge is the law speaking.
- Judex non potest injuriam sibi datam ounire. A judge cannot punish a wrong done to himself.
- Judicis est jus dicere non dare. It is for the judge to administer, not to make the law.
- Jura in aliena. Right in other's thing.
- Jura in personam. Right available against some determinate person or body.
- Jura in rem. Right against the whole world. (jura is plural of jus)
- Jura in repropia. Right in one's own things.
- Juratores sunt judices facti. Juries are the judges of fact.
- Juris ignorantia est cum jus nostrum ignoramus. It is ignorance of the law when we do not know our own rights.
- Jus (jura) in personam. Right against particular person or persons.
- Jus (jura) in re aliena. Right by encumbrance; a right over ones own property.
- Jus (jura) in rem. Right against all.
- Jus accrescendi. Right of survivorship.
- Jus ad rem. It is right to have some other right transferred.
- Jus est ars boni et acqui. Law is the art of the good and the just.
- Jus ex injuria non oritur. A right cannot arise to any one out of his own wrong.
- Jus non scriptum. Unwritten law.
- Jus positivum. Positive law.
- Jus privatum. Private law.
- Jus publicum. Public law.
- Jus quod add actions partinet. The law of procedure is the law of actions.
- Jus respicit aequitatem. Law has regard to equity.
- Jus speciale. Special law.
- Justitia naturalis. Natural justice.
Latin Maxims Starting with L
- Lata culpa dolo aequiparatur: Gross negligence is equivalent to fraud.
- Lay off. A termination of the employment at the will of the employer.
- Leave and license (see volunti non fit injuria).
- Lex aeterna. Eternal law.
- Lex aliquando sequitur aequitatem. Law sometimes follows equity.
- Lex divina. Divine law.
- Lex domicilii. Law of the territory where domiciled.
- Lex humana. Human law.
- Lex injusta non est lex. Unjust law is no law.
- Lex naturale. Natural law.
- Lex nil facit frustra, nil jubet frustra. The law does nothing in vain, commands nothing in vain. - Ballentine
- Lex non cogit ad impossibilia. The law never urges to impossibilities.
- Lex non favet votis delicatorum. The law does not encourage the will of the delicate.
- Lex reprobate moram. The law dislikes delay.
- Lex scripta. Written law ; law deriving its force from usage.
- Lex semper dabit remedium. Law will always afford remedy.
- Lex semper intendit quod convenit rational. The law must be taken to intend what is reasonable.
- Lex situs. Law of that territory where situated.
- Lex uno ore omnes alloquitur. The law speaks to all with the same mouth.
- Lex loci. The law of the place.
- Libertes inestimabilis res est. Liberty.
- Litera liges. Letter of the law.
- Litera scripta. Expression of the law is an inestimable thing.
- Loco parentas. Any person standing in the relation of parents.
- Locus regit actum. Locality governs the act.
Latin Maxims Starting with M
- Malitia supplet aetatem. Malice makes up for want of age Malitia. Malice
- Malus usus est abolendus. An evil custom ought to be abolished.
- Mansuetae natura. Not dangerous nature.
- Matrimonia debent esse libera. Marriage ought to be free.
- Minor jurare non potest. A minor cannot swear.
- Misdemeanor. Offences lower than fellows and generally punishable by fine; penalty.
- Modus legem dat donationi. Usage makes a gift lawful.
Latin Maxims Starting with N
- Nam silent leges inter arma. Laws are silent in time of war.
- Necessitas est lex tempris et loci. Necessity is the law of time and place.
- Necessitas non habet legem. Necessity has no law.
- Necessitas quod cogit, defendit. Necessity defends what it compels.
- Necessitas vincit legem. Necessity defeats the law.
- Neminem oportet esse sapientiorem legibus. It is not permitted to be wiser than law.
- Nemo agit in seipsum. No one takes proceedings against himself.
- Nemo contra factum suum venire potest. No one can go against his own deed.
- Nemo dat quod non habet. No one can give what lie has not.
- Nemo praesumitur malus. No one is presumed to be bad.
- Nemo tenetur ad impossibile. No one is bound to an impossibility.
- Novation. Substitute of a new contract.
- Novus homo. A man who has been pardoned of a crime.
- Nullum simile est lege. There is never complete identity.
- Null Um tempus aut locus occurrit Regi. No time or place affects the king.
Latin Maxims Starting with O
- Obedientia est legis essemtia law. Obedience is the essence of the law.
- Obligation ex countractu (Roman). Obligation arising from quasi contracts.
- Optimus interpres rerum usus. Usage is the best interpreter of things.
- Optimus legume interpres es consuetudo. Usage is the best interpreter of law.
- Over draft. A cheque written on a checking account containing less funds than the amount of cheque.
Latin Maxims Starting with P and R
- Pactis privantorum juri public non derogatur. Private contracts cannot derogate from public law.
- Par delicatum. Equal guilt.
- Post factum: After the fact.
- Presumption juris: Legal presumptions.
- Pro haec vice: For the occasion.
- Pro re nata: In respect of themselves.
- Pro tempore: Temporarily.
- Pro tenta: In effect.
- Propria persona: Proprietary concern.
- Proprio Vigore: Of its own force; by its own force; automatically.
- Qui jure suo utitur nemini facit injuriam. He who acts legally hurts no one.
- Qui minimum probat nihil probat. He proves nothing who proves too much.
- Regle de droit. Rule of law.
- Res in re propria. Right of a man's own property.
- Res perit suo domino. A thing lost is lost to its owner.
- Rex non potest Peccare. The king can do no wrong.
- Ratio est anima legis. The reason for the law is the soul of law.
Latin Maxims Starting with S
- Salus populi est suprema lex. The public safety is the supreme law.
- Scire debes cum quo contrabis. One should know with whom he contracts.
- Scribere est agere. To write is the same thing as to act.
- Senso abstracto. Abstract sense.
- Sensu concreto. Concrete sense Spondes peritiam artis.
- Strict sensu. Strict sense.
- Strictum jus. Strict law.
- Summun bonum. The gist.
- Suo periculo. By own risk.
Latin Maxims Starting with T, U, V and W
- Testis nemo in sua causa esse potest. No one can be a witness on his own behalf.
- Tortum. Tort, means "to wist", i.e. the conduct which is twisted or tortious.
- Tota curia. In the old reports, the whole court.
- Traditio loqui chartam facit. Delivery makes a deed speak.
- Traditio. Delivery of possession.
- Transit terra cum onere. Land passes with its burden.
- Trespass quare clausum freigit. Tress pass to land.
- Ultimas ratio. Ultimate legal principle.
- Unum est tacere, aliud celare. To be silent or to conceal are two different things.
- Valeat quantum. Let it have effect to such extent as it can have effect.
- Valentia. The value or price of anything.
- Veritas demonstrationis tollit errorem nominis. Correctness of description cures error of name.
- Vested estate. An interest clothed with a present, legal and existing right of alienation.
- Vetus jus. A term used in civil law.
- Vetustas pro lege semper habetur. An old custom is ever regarded as law.
- Vex. To harass or annoy by repeated litigation upon the same facts.
- Vice crimes. Crimes of immoral conduct such as prostitution.
- Vide. A word of reference.
- Viet armis. Now abolished.
- Vinculum juris. Bond of legal necessity.
- Vindex. In the civil law, a defender.
- Vindicate. To clear of suspicion, blame or doubt.
- Viperina est expositio quae corrodit viscera textus. It is a bad exposition which corrupts the next.
- Vir et uxor censentur in lege una persona. Husband and wife are considered one person in law.
- Vis legibus est inimica. Force or violence is the enemy of law.
- Vis major. An overwhelming, unanticipated, and unpreventable event, usually caused by a natural force, the occurrence of which may exempt a party from performing the obligations of a contract. Also called force majeure.
- Vis-a-vis. With the living voice, by word of mouth.
- Volenti non fit injuria. No injury can be done to a willing person.
- Volks geist. Normal spirit.
- Volonte generale. General will.
Key Takeaways
- Latin maxims summarize core judicial principles, rules of equity, and contractual doctrines.
- Phrases like caveat emptor and audi alteram partem form the cornerstone of modern common law protections.
- Understanding literal translations aids in interpreting statutory law, torts, and civil procedures.
Quick Practice
Which Latin maxim means "Let the buyer beware"? Write your answers in the comments below!
FAQ
What are Latin maxims and phrases?
Latin maxims and phrases are succinct legal principles or propositions expressed in Latin that summarize established rules of law, equity, and jurisprudence.
Why are Latin phrases used in modern law?
They are historically rooted in Roman law and the development of English common law, providing concise legal shorthand that remains universally recognized in judicial settings.