Glossary of Latin Terms | King Prior MacDonald Bridge (KPMB) Solicitors

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Glossary of Latin Legal Terminology

For customer reference only:

Ad Hoc

FOR THIS PURPOSE Ad Hoc decisions are made as and when a situation demands: - Ad

Ad Infinitum

WITHOUT LIMIT
Describes an event apparently continuing without end

Ante

BEFORE
An indication within text to refer to an earlier passage

B ⇑ To Top

Bona Fide

IN GOOD FAITH
A Bona Fide Agreement is one entered into genuinely without attempt to fraud

Bona Vacantia

Denotes the absence of any known person entitled to the estate of a deceased person

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Caveat

BEWARE/TAKE CARE
An entry in the court records that effectively prevents action by another party without first notifying the party entering the Caveat

Compos Mentis

OF SOUND MIND
Legally fit to conduct/defend proceedings

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De Bonis Non Administatis

OF GOODS NOT ADMINISTERED
A person appointed to administer an estate following the death of the original administrator

De Facto

IN FACT
“As a matter of fact”

De Jure

BY RIGHT

E ⇑ To Top

Erratum

AN ERROR

Exempli Gratia (e.g.)

FOR EXAMPLE –
Used when qualifying a statement by explaining through a relevant example

Ex Gratia

AS A MATTER OF FAVOUR

Ex Officio

BY VIRTUE OF HIS OFFICE
A magistrate sitting with a judge at the Crown Court would appear ex officio in a case where no judicial function is to be exercised by the magistrate e.g. case committed to Crown Court for sentence only

Ex Parte

BY A PARTY
An ex parte application is made to the Court during proceedings by one party in the absence of another or without notifying the other party

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Id Est (i.e.)

THAT IS TO SAY
Used as a description to explain a statement

Ipso Facto

BY THE FACT
The reliance upon facts that together prove a point

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Mens Rea

GUILTY MIND
The intention to commit an offence whilst knowing it to be wrong

Mutatis Mutandis

THE NECESSARY CHANGES BEING MADE
Denotes that instructions should not be followed verbatim but by amending where necessary

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Non Compos Mentis

NOT SOUND IN MIND
A person classed as unfit to conduct/defend legal proceedings

Nota Bene (nb)

NOTE WELL
An abbreviation denoting that the reader of an article should make a particular note of the article mentioned.

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Per Capita

BY HEADS
e.g. the cost is £50 per capita - £50 per person

Prime Facie

FIRST SIGHT
Prima Facie evidence would be considered sufficient to prove a case unless disproved – if no Prima Facie evidence can be offered there is no case to answer

Pro Forma

A MATTER OF FORM
Pro Forma procedure is performed subject to and following an agreed manner

Per Pro (pp)

THROUGH ANOTHER
A person delegated to act for another

Per Se

BY ITSELF
Denoting that the topic should be taken alone

Post

AFTER
An indication to refer to something to be found further on

Pro Rata

IN PROPORTION
Dividends distributed on a Pro Rata basis would be according to the amount of investment

Pro Tempore (Pro Tem)

FOR THE TIME BEING –
Temporarily

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Quasi

AS IF
Any person exercising powers similar to those of a judge would be sitting in a Quasi-Judicial capacity

R ⇑ To Top

Res Ipsa Loquitur

THE THING SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
An event that has occurred which, if the subject of litigation, would not require an onus of proof by the plaintiff because of the obvious negligence of the defendant

U ⇑ To Top

Ultra Vires (See Intra Vires)

BEYOND THE POWER
An act that falls outside or beyond the jurisdiction of the court

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Videlicet (Viz)

NAMELY
Used in text to indicate examples

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King Prior MacDonald Bridge Solicitors