Course No. 9957
GLOSSARY OF LEGAL TERMS (mainly Latin)
with STENO outlines
AB
AB
ab initio
When you want to say ‘by’ or ‘from’ or ‘away’ in
a phrase, use the prefix ‘ab’
from or in the beginning
AB/NIRB/YOE
ab invito
unwilling
AB/IN/VIT/OE
abjure
to renounce under oath
AB/JUR
abrogate
to repeal, cancel or annul
AB/ROE/GAIT
abscond
AB/SKOND
absolve
to run away and hide, especially in order to
escape the law, is to abscond
to set free from an obligation
AB/SOFL
abstain
to do without something voluntarily
AB/STAIN
affidavit
a sworn statement given voluntarily
AF/DAIFT
bona fide
BOEN/FAOID
bon vivant
BON/VIFB/ANT
a fortiori
AI/FOR/SHOR/*I
an act done without deceit or fraud, ‘in good
faith’
a person who enjoys good food and other
pleasant things
from the stronger (reason)
a priori
from what goes before
AI/PRAOIR/*I
a posteriori
from the latter (opposite to a priori)
AI/PO*S/YOR/*I
ad diem
at the day
AD/DI/YEM
ad finem
at/to the end
AD/FAOIN/-*M
ad hoc
for this special purpose
AD/HOK
ad libitum
AD/LIB/AOIT/-*M
at one’s pleasure, at one’s will
ad idem
to the same point or effect
AD/AOID/-*M
ad finitum
something that goes on endlessly
AD/FIN/AOIT/-*M
ad interim
in the meantime
AD/SPWRIM
ad litem
for the law suit
AD/LAOIT/-*M
animus curiae
one who offers information to assist the court
AN/MUS/KAOUR/AOI
caveat emptor
let the buyer beware
KAIFB/YAT/EMT/-R
certiorari
to be informed of
SER/SHOR/YAR/*I
corpus delicti
body of a crime
KORP/US/DEL/IKT/*I
de facto
in reality but not in law
DE/FAKT/O*E
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de jure
in or of the law (opposite to de facto)
DE/JUR
de bene esse
DE/BEN/ES/*E
ex curia
evidence taken in the event the person is
required but unable to attend
out of court
EX/KAOUR/YA
ex officio
an act done by virtue of a person’s office
EX/OFF/IRB/YOE
ex parte
EX/PART/*E
ex post facto
from or on one side only, no-one appearing in
opposition
after the deed is done
EX/PO*ES/FAKT/O*
force majeure
superior or irresistible force
FORS/MAJ/AOUR
habeas corpus
HAIBS/KORPS
in limine
a writ directed to a person holding someone in
custody to produce that person to court to test
the legality of imprisonment
preliminary
IN/LIM/IN/*E
in delicto
guilty, at fault
IN/DEL/IKT/O*
in camera
held in judge’s chambers, closed court
IN/KAM/RA
in jure
according to law
IN/J*UR
in loco
in lieu of
IN/LOEK/O*
in loco parentis
a person acting in place of a parent
IN/LOEK/O*/PAIRNT/IS
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in litem
in a lawsuit
IN/LAOIT/-*M
in situ
in its original place
IN/SIT/*U
inter alia
among other things
SPWER/AIL/YA
inter vivos
between the living
SPWER/VIFB/OS
interrogatories
SPWER/OG/TRAOES
ipso facto
set of written questions to be answered by a
witness under oath
by the act or fact, in and of itself
IPS/O*/FAKT/O*
intra vires
SPWRA/VAOIRS
lex loci
within the powers (of an entity) (opposite to
ultra vires)
the law of the place
LEX/LOEK/*I
mens rea
guilty mind
MENS/RAI
non prosequitur
not follow up
NON/PROS/KWIT/-R
nolle prosequi
to be unwilling to prosecute
NOL/PROS
obiter dictum
OEB/TER/DIKT/-*M
onus probandi
a remark, expression or opinion by the court not
related to the question
burden of proof
OEN/US/PROEB/AND/*I
prima facie
on the face of it, before further examination
PRAOIM/FAIRB
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pro tanto
to a certain extent
PROE/TANT/O*
pro tempore
for the time being
PROE/TEM/POR/E*
pro nunc
for the present
PROE/N*UNK
res gestae
deeds and things done surrounding a matter
RAIZ/J*EST/AOI
res inter alios acta
a thing done by other people
RAIZ/SPWER/AIL/YOS
/AKT/A*
res judicata
a matter already legally decided
RAIZ/JAOUD/KAT/A*
res ipsa loquitur
the thing speaks for itself
RAIZ/IPS/A*/LOK/TUR
seriatim
separately, individually
SER/YAT/-*M
sine die
without a date
SAOIN/DAOI
sine qua non
without which the thing cannot be
SAOIN/KWA/NON
sub judice
under judicial consideration
SUB/JAOUD/IS
stare decisis
abide by legal precedent
STAIR/DEC/AOIS/SIS
sui generis
of its own kind, unique
SU/*I/JEN/ER/IS
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subpoena duces tecum
SPAOEN/DAOUSZ/
an order for a person to bring along certain
evidence or documentation to court
TAOEK/-*M
ultra vires
UL/TRA/VAOIRS
voir dire
VOIR/DIR
outside the powers (of an entity) (opposite to
intra vires)
to say truly, evidence given in the absence of the
jury to decide on the admissibility of the
evidence
Further research:
Law Society of New South Wales
http://www.lawsociety.com.au/
Information for the Media / Media Dictionary of Legal Terms
Duhaime Law
http://www.duhaime.org/
Duhaime’s Legal Dictionary, Duhaime’s Legal Terms
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