Must-Know Latin Terms & Legal Maxims for Law Students

Ever wondered what "Audi Alteram Partem" means in a fair trial? Or why do lawyers emphasize "Ignorantia Juris Non-Excusat" when discussing legal responsibility?

Law is a language of its own, and Latin is its backbone. From courtrooms to contracts, legal professionals rely on centuries-old Latin phrases to express legal ideas clearly and accurately. Whether you're a law student preparing for exams like CLAT UG 2026, CLAT PG 2026, AIBE, Judicial Exam, UGC NET (Law), or an aspiring advocate sharpening your legal vocabulary, understanding these Latin terms is a must.

This compilation breaks down 150+ essential LATIN LEGAL MAXIMS AND PHRASES—simplifying their meanings. Let's get started and equip yourself with the timeless language of the law!

A

1. Ab Initio - From the beginning.

2. Actionable per se - The very act is punishable, and no proof of damage is required.

3. Actio personalis moritur cum persona - A personal right of action dies with the person.

4. Actori incumbit onus probandi - The burden of proof is on the plaintiff.

5. Actus Reus Non-Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea - An act does not make anyone guilty unless there is a criminal intent or a guilty mind.

6. Ad hoc - When necessary or needed.

7. Ad valorem - According to value

8. Alibi- A claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.

9. Amicus Curiae - A friend of court, or member of the Bar who is appointed to assist the Court.

10. Animus Possidendi - An intention to possess

11. Ante Litem Motam - Before suit brought; before a controversy is instituted, or spoken before a lawsuit is brought.

12. Assentio mentium - Meeting of minds, i.e., mutual assent of the parties to a contract.

13. Audi alteram partem - Listen to the other side, or let the other side be heard as well.

B

14. Bona fide - In good faith.

15. Bona Officia - Good services.

16. Bona vacantia - Goods without an apparent owner.

17. Boni judicis est ampliare jurisdictionem - It is the duty of a good judge to enlarge his jurisdiction, i.e. remedial authority.

C

18. Caveat - A caution registered with the public court to indicate to the officials that they are not to act in the matter mentioned in the caveat, without first giving notice to the caveator.

19. Caveat actor - Let the doer beware.

20. Caveat emptor - Let the buyer beware.

21. Caveat venditor - Let the seller beware.

22. Certiorari - A writ by which orders passed by an inferior court are quashed.

23. Citation - Quotation of decided cases in legal arguments.

24. Coercion - To force someone to do an act.

25. Contra - Opposite.

26. Consensus - A general agreement.

27. Corpus - Body.

28. Corpus delicti - The facts and circumstances constituting a crime; concrete evidence of a crime, such as a corpse (dead body).

D

29. Damnum sine injuria - Damage without injury.

30. De die in diem - From day to day

31. De facto - In fact

32. De futuro - In the future

33. De integro - Start it all over

34. De jure - By law

35. De minimis - Too trivial or minor to merit consideration, especially in law.

36. De Minimis Non-Curat Lex - The law does not govern trifles (unimportant things) or law ignores insignificant details.

37. De novo - Start from the beginning; anew.

38. Detinue - Tort of wrongfully holding goods which belong to someone else.

39. Dictum - A formal pronouncement from an authoritative source.

40. Doli incapax - Incapable of crime.

41. Dominium - Ownership and control of property.

42. Donatio mortis causa - A future gift given in expectation of the donor's imminent death and delivered only upon the donor's death.

E

43. Estoppel - Prevents someone from contradicting their own statements or actions.

44. Ex gratia - As a favour.

45. Ex officio - Because of an office held.

46. Ex parte - Proceedings in the absence of the other party.

47. Ex post facto - Out of the aftermath, or after the fact.

F

48. Factum probans - Ultimate fact to be proven.

49. Fraus est celare fraudem - It is a fraud to conceal a fraud.

50. Functus officio - No longer having power or jurisdiction

G

52. Generalia specialibus non derogant - The general does not detract from the specific. This maxim suggests that courts prefer specific provisions over general application provisions where the provisions conflict.

H

53. Habeas Corpus - A writ to have the body of a person be brought before the judge.

I

54. Ignorantia juris non excusat - Ignorance of the law excuses no one.

55. Injuria non excusat injuriam - A wrong does not excuse a wrong

56. Injuria sine damno - Injury without damage.

57. Ipso facto - By the mere fact.

58. In lieu of - Instead of

59. In pari materia - In the same matter.

60. In personam - A proceeding in which relief is sought against a specific person.

61. Innuendo - Spoken words which are defamatory because they have a double meaning.

62. Inter alia - Among other things.

63. Interim - Temporary

64. Inter se - Amongst themselves

65. Inter vivos - Between living people. 

66. Interest Republicae Ut Sit Finis Litium - It means it is in the interest of the State that there should be an end to litigation.

J

68. Jus cogens - Compelling law.

69. Jus in personam - Right against a specific person.

70. Jus in rem - Right against the world at large.

71. Jus naturale - Natural law.

72. Jus Necessitatis - It means a person's right to do what is required for which no threat of legal punishment is a dissuasion.

73. Jus non scriptum - Unwritten law.

74. Jus scriptum - Written law.

75. Jus - Law or right.

76. Justitia nemini neganda est - Justice is to be denied to nobody.

L

77. Lex Loci - The law of the place

78. Lex non a rege est violanda - The law must not be violated even by the king.

79. Lis pendens - Suit pending

80. Locus standi - Right of a party to an action to appear and be heard by the court.

M

81. Mala fide - In bad faith

82. Malum in se - Wrong or evil in itself

83. Mandamus - 'We command'. A writ of command issued by a Higher Court to Government/Public Authority to compel the performance of a public duty.

84. Mens rea - Guilty mind.

85. Misnomer - A wrong or inaccurate name or term.

86. Modus operandi - Way of working.

87. Modus Vivendi - Way of living.

88. Mutatis Mutandis - With the necessary changes having been made, or with the respective differences having been considered.

N

89. Necessitas non habet legem - Necessity has no law.

90. Nemo bis punitur pro eodem delicto - Nobody can be punished twice for the same offence.

91. Nemo debet bis vexari pro una et eadem causa - No man shall be punished twice for the same offence.

92. Nemo debet esse judex in propria causa - Nobody can be a judge in his own case.

93. Nemo moriturus praesumitur mentire - A man will not meet his maker (God) with a lie in his mouth. In other words, 'No man is presumed to lie at the point of death.'

94. Nemo Potest esse tenens et dominus - Nobody can be both a landlord and a tenant of the same property.

95. Nexus - Connection

96. Nisi - Unless

97. Nolle prosequi - A formal notice of abandonment by a plaintiff or prosecutor of all or part of a suit.

98. Non constant - It is not certain

99. Non Compos Mentis - Not of sound mind

100.  Novation - Transaction in which a new contract is agreed by all parties to replace an existing contract.

101.  Nunc pro tunc - Now for then. A ruling nunc pro tunc applies retroactively to correct an earlier ruling.

102.  Non Sequitur - A statement (such as a response) that is not clearly related to anything previously said.

O

103.  Obiter dicta - A judge's expression of opinion uttered in court or in a written judgement, but not essential to the decision and therefore not legally binding as a precedent.

104.  Onus probandi - Burden of proof

105.  Opinio juris - An opinion of law

P

106.  Pacta Sunt Servanda - Agreements are legally binding.

107.  Pari passu - On an equal footing.

108.  Particeps criminis - Partner in crime.

109.  Per curiam - Decision made by the court

110.  Per incuriam - through or characterized by lack of due regard to the law or the facts.

111.  Per se - By itself.

112.  Persona non grata - A person who is unacceptable or unwelcome.

113.  Prima facie - On the face of it

114.  Pro rata - In proportion

115.  Pro tanto - So far

116.  Pro tempore - For the time being

Q

117.  Quantum meruit - What one has earned or the amount he deserves.

118.  Quasi - Like/Similar

119.  Qui facit per alium, facit per se - He who acts through another does the act himself.

120.  Quid pro quo - a favour or advantage granted in return for something.

121.  Quo warranto - By what authority. A writ calling upon one to show under what authority he holds or claims a public office.

R

122.  Ratio decidendi - Principle or reason underlying a judgement of the Court.

123.  Remission - To reduce

124.  Repudiate - Refuse to accept

125.  Repeal - Doing away with a law so that it is no longer valid

126.  Respondeat superior - Let the master answer.

127.  Res gestae - Things done

128.  Res ipsa loquitur - The thing speaks for itself.

129.  Res integra - A matter untouched

130.  Res judicata - A matter already judged.

131.  Res Judicata Pro Veritate Accipitur - This means that a judicial decision must be accepted as correct.

132.  Revoke - To cancel/withdraw

133.  Rex non potest peccare - The king can do no wrong.

S

134.  Salus populi est suprema lex - The welfare of the people is the supreme law.

135.  Stare decisis - To stand by decisions (precedents)

136.  Status quo - State of things as they are now.

137.  Sine die - With no appointed date for resumption.

138.  Sine qua non - An essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary.

139.  Sub judice - Under judicial consideration

140.  Sub silentio - In silence.

141.  Suo Motu - On its own motion.

T

142.  Tacit - Understood or implied without being stated.

143.  Testate - Dying after making a valid will.

U

144.  Uberrima fides - Utmost good faith.

145.  Ubi jus ibi remedium - Where there is a right, there is a remedy.

146.  Ubi civitas ibi lex - Where there is a State, there will not be anarchy.

147.  Ultra vires - Beyond one's legal powers or authority.

V

148.  Verbatim - In exactly the same words as were originally used.

149.  Veto - Ban or order to not allow something to become law, even if it has been passed by the Parliament.

150.  Vice versa - Reverse position.

151.  Vide - See.

152.  Vis major - Act of God.

153.  Volenti non-fit injuria - Damage suffered by consent gives no cause of action.

154.  Vox populi - Voice of the people / the opinion of the majority of the people.

W

155.  Waiver - Voluntarily giving up or removing the conditions.

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