Legal Language (English Translation
of some Legal Terms)
1. Ab Initio: from the beginning
2. Ad finem: toward the end
3. Ad hoc: for this special purpose
4. Ad infinitium: to infinity
5. Ad interim: for the meantime
6. Alibi: a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when ac act happened
7. Amicus curiae: a friend of Law
Court, a disinterested adviser, not a party to the case.
8. Audi alterem partem: hear the other side, no one can be unheard
9. Bona fide: in good faith
10. Causa
sine qua non: an indispensable cause
11. Cause
célèbre: a peculiary notable trial
12. Caveat
actor: let the doer beware, let the buyer beware
13. Caveat
emptor: it’s the buyer’s look-out
14. Censor
morum: censor of morals
15. Centum:
a hundred
16. Cesti
que trust: a beneficiary under a trust
17. De facto: in actual fact, really
18. De jure: in law
19. De
novo: new
20. Detenue:
a prisoner
21. Exeunt:
leave the stage
22. Exeunt omnes: all leave the stage
23. Ex
gratia: as an act of grace
24. Faux pas: a false step, a mistake
25. Ignoratia
legis neminem excusat: ignorance of law excuses nobody
26. In
absentia: in absence
27. In camera: in a judge’s private room, in
secret
28. In esse: in existence
29. In
forma pauperis: as a poor man
30. Infra: below, lower down on the page or
further on in the book
31. Infra
dig: below one’s dignity
32. In
presenti: at the present time
33. In
principio: in the beginning
34. Inter alia: among other things
35. Inter
vires: between living persons
36. In
toto: entirely
37. Ipso jure: by the law itself
38. Jus:
law
39. Jus civile: civil law
40. Lis
pendense: pending suit
41. Locus
standi: the right bring an action
42. Mens
rea: guilty mind
43. Magnum opus: a great work
44. Mala
fide: in bad faith, treacherously
45. Memorabilia: things worth remembering
46. Modus: mode, manner
47. Modus operandi: mode of operations
48. Nee: born, used in station a woman’s maiden
name
49. Nouveau
riche: one who has but lately acquired wealth, an upstart
50. O
sancta simplicitas!: O holy simplicity!
51. Pari
passu: at an equal rate or pace
52. Partim:
in part
53. Pendent
lite: during the process of litigation
54. Per: through, according to
55. Per diem: per day
56. Per
mensem: per year
57. Pesona
grata: a person who is acceptable to those to whom he is sent
58. Prima facie: on the first view, at first
sight
59. Pro tanto: to that extent
60. Pro
tempore: for the time being
61. Pro rata: in proportion
62. Ratio
decidendi: reasons for deciding
63. Respondent
superior: let the master answer
64. Sic:
so, thus
65. Sine die: without a day (appointed), of a
meeting adjourned for an indefinite period
66. Sine
qua non: an indispensible condition
67. Status
quo: the existing condition
68. Sub
judice: under consideration
69. Sub
poena: under a penalty
70. Tour de
force: a feat of strength or skill
71. Ultra
vires: beyond one’s power, unconstitutional
72. Ut
supra: as above
73. Vice
versa: in order being reserved, terms exchanged
74. Vis
major: act of god
75. Viva
voce: by oral testimony
(Source: Google & An English Literature Book named "Law And Literature" by Dr. Shakuntala Bharwani, Prof. of Government Law College, Chucrchgate)
