Glossary - Latin Terms
Below are common Latin terms and their meaning. 


Actus Reus Guilty act The offence of which the defendant is accused 
Ad Colligenda Bona To collect the goods A temporary order for the Administration of an estate of a deceased person used when the estate is of a perishable nature 
Ad Hoc For this purpose Ad Hoc decisions are made as and when a situation demands:- Ad Hoc committees are formed to address a particular issue - Ad Hoc meetings would take place to discuss specific matters 
Ad Idem Of same mind ie as one; agreed eg the parties are ad idem on this point 
Ad Infinitum  Without limit Describes an event apparently continuing without end 
Ad Litem  For the suit Denotes a temporary appointment which continues during legal proceedings ie Guardian Ad Litem 
Amicus Curiae A friend of the court A neutral party who does not represent any individual party in the case who will be asked by the Court to make representations from an independent viewpoint 
Ante  Before An indication within text to refer to an earlier passage  


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 

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 
Cor (Coram) In the presence of   


De Bonis Non Administratis 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   
Doli Incapax    Incapable of crime 
Duces Tecum Bring with you Order to produce document to court  


Erratum  An error   
Exempli Gratia (eg)  For example -  Used when qualifying a statement by explaining through a relevant example 
Ex Gratia  As a matter of favour An Ex Gratia payment would be awarded without the acceptance of any liability or blame  
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 eg 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 
Ex Post Facto  By a subsequent act Something that occurs after the event but having a retrospective effect 

Forum Conveniens At a convenient place A Court having jurisdiction in a particular case  
Functus Officio Having discharged duty A judicial or official person prevented from taking a matter further because of limitation by certain regulations 

Habeas Corpus  Produce the body A writ which directs a person to produce someone held in custody before the court  


Ibid 
 In the same place Used in text to refer to a page previously mentioned 
Id Est (ie) -  That is to say Used as a description to explain a statement 
Ignorantia Juris non excusat - Ignorance of the law is no excuse If committing an offence a guilty party cannot use as a defence the fact that they did so without knowledge that they were breaking the law 
In Camera  In the chamber The hearing of a case in private without the facts being reported to the public 
In Curia In open court The hearing of a case before a court sitting in public 
In Personam Against the person Proceedings issued against or with reference to a specific person - an admiralty action in personam would be issued against the owner of a ship 
In Re In the matter of A heading in legal documents which introduces the title of the proceedings  
In Rem  Against the matter Proceedings issued or directed against property as opposed to a specific person - an admiralty action in rem would be issued against the ship itself 
Inter Alia Among other things Indicates that the details given are only an extract from the whole 
In Situ  In its original situation   
Intra  Within   
Intra Vires (See Ultra Vires) Within the power of An act that falls within the Jurisdiction of the Court 
Ipso Facto  By the fact The reliance upon facts that together prove a point  


Locus in quo  The place in which during proceedings may be used as reference to subject matter ie scene of accident 

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 


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. 
Nulla Bona No effects A return entered by a Sheriff to a High Court writ of execution which indicates the defendant had no goods of any value to remove 

Obiter Dictum  A saying by the way Words said in passing by a Judge on a legal point but not constituting part of the evidence or judgment 

Per  As stated by   
Per Capita  By heads eg the cost is £50 per capita - £50 each person 
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  
Prima 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 
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 

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


Ratio Decidendi    The principles of law applied by a Court upon which a judicial decision is based  
Res Judicata  A thing ajudged Once a case has been finally decided upon by a Court the same parties cannot attempt to raise the issue by or during further proceedings  
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  


Semble  It appears   
Sine Die Without a day A hearing adjourned sine die stands open indefinitely without a further hearing having been allocated 
Sub Judice  In the course of trial Whilst a court case is under consideration. Proceedings are sub-Judice and details cannot be disclosed 
Subpoena ad Testificum  To produce evidence A writ directed to a person commanding him/her, under a penalty, to appear before a Court and give evidence 

Ultra Vires (See Intra Vires)  Beyond the power An act that falls outside or beyond the jurisdiction of the court  


Videlicet (Viz)  Namely Used in text to indicate examples