Carol Velasquez.
Legal dictionary · Area 15 of 17

Latin Legal Terms & Maxims — EN · ES · IT.

62 terms from Latin Legal Terms & Maxims, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.

Latin is the one vocabulary the three legal languages share, but they do not use it in the same way. Terms such as res judicata, habeas corpus, pro bono or prima facie are everyday English in U.S. courts; Spanish and Italian lawyers use many of the same maxims yet often prefer a vernacular form (cosa juzgada, giudicato). A certified translation keeps the Latin where the target reader expects it and substitutes the native term where the Latin would read as foreign — a judgement call that depends on the document and its audience.

Ab initio

ENAb initio — From the beginning.
ESAb initio (desde el inicio)
ITAb initio (dall'inizio)

Actus reus

ENActus reus — The physical, wrongful act of a crime.
ESActo reo / Elemento material
ITElemento materiale del reato

Ad hoc

ENAd hoc — Created for a particular purpose.
ESAd hoc (para esto)
ITAd hoc (per questo scopo)

Ad litem

ENAd litem — For the purposes of a lawsuit.
ESAd litem (para el litigio)
ITAd litem (per la lite)

Amicus curiae

ENAmicus curiae — A non-party offering information to the court.
ESAmicus curiae / Amigo del tribunal
ITAmicus curiae

Bona fide

ENBona fide — In good faith.
ESDe buena fe
ITIn buona fede

Caveat emptor

ENCaveat emptor — Let the buyer beware.
ESCaveat emptor / A riesgo del comprador
ITCaveat emptor

Corpus delicti

ENCorpus delicti — The material substance of a crime.
ESCuerpo del delito
ITCorpo del reato

De facto

ENDe facto — In fact, whether by right or not.
ESDe facto / De hecho
ITDi fatto

De jure

ENDe jure — By right or by law.
ESDe jure / De derecho
ITDi diritto

Dolus

ENDolus — Intentional wrongdoing or deceit.
ESDolo
ITDolo

Erga omnes

ENErga omnes — Binding toward everyone.
ESErga omnes / Frente a todos
ITErga omnes

Ex aequo et bono

ENEx aequo et bono — According to what is fair and good.
ESEx aequo et bono / Según equidad
ITSecondo equità

Ex parte

ENEx parte — Involving only one party.
ESEx parte / De una sola parte
ITEx parte (di una sola parte)

Habeas corpus

ENHabeas corpus — A remedy against unlawful detention.
ESHabeas corpus
ITHabeas corpus

In dubio pro reo

ENIn dubio pro reo — When in doubt, decide for the accused.
ESIn dubio pro reo
ITIn dubio pro reo

In flagrante delicto

ENIn flagrante delicto — Caught in the act of committing a crime.
ESIn fraganti / En flagrancia
ITIn flagranza di reato

Inter partes

ENInter partes — Between the parties only.
ESInter partes / Entre las partes
ITInter partes

Ipso facto

ENIpso facto — By the fact itself.
ESIpso facto
ITIpso facto

Ipso jure

ENIpso jure — By operation of law itself.
ESIpso iure / De pleno derecho
ITIpso iure / Di diritto

Iura novit curia

ENIura novit curia — The court knows the law.
ESIura novit curia
ITIura novit curia

Lex fori

ENLex fori — The law of the forum where the case is heard.
ESLex fori / Ley del foro
ITLegge del foro

Lex loci

ENLex loci — The law of the place where an act occurs.
ESLex loci / Ley del lugar
ITLegge del luogo

Locus standi

ENLocus standi — The right to bring an action before a court.
ESLegitimación / Locus standi
ITLegittimazione ad agire

Mens rea

ENMens rea — The mental element of guilt in a crime.
ESMens rea / Elemento subjetivo
ITElemento soggettivo / Dolo

Modus operandi

ENModus operandi — A characteristic method of operating.
ESModus operandi
ITModus operandi

Mutatis mutandis

ENMutatis mutandis — With the necessary changes made.
ESMutatis mutandis
ITMutatis mutandis

Ne bis in idem

ENNe bis in idem — No one may be tried twice for the same offense.
ESNe bis in idem / Non bis in idem
ITNe bis in idem

Nemo iudex in causa sua

ENNemo iudex in causa sua — No one may judge their own case.
ESNadie puede ser juez en causa propia
ITNemo iudex in causa sua

Nulla poena sine lege

ENNulla poena sine lege — No penalty without a law.
ESNulla poena sine lege
ITNulla poena sine lege

Obiter dictum

ENObiter dictum — A judge's remark not essential to the decision.
ESObiter dictum
ITObiter dictum

Onus probandi

ENOnus probandi — The burden of proof.
ESOnus probandi / Carga de la prueba
ITOnere della prova

Pacta sunt servanda

ENPacta sunt servanda — Agreements must be kept.
ESPacta sunt servanda
ITPacta sunt servanda

Prima facie

ENPrima facie — On first appearance; at face value.
ESPrima facie
ITPrima facie

Pro bono

ENPro bono — Done without charge for the public good.
ESPro bono
ITPro bono

Pro rata

ENPro rata — In proportion.
ESProrrata / A prorrata
ITPro rata

Quid pro quo

ENQuid pro quo — Something given in return for something else.
ESQuid pro quo
ITQuid pro quo

Ratio decidendi

ENRatio decidendi — The legal reasoning behind a decision.
ESRatio decidendi / Razón de la decisión
ITRatio decidendi

Res judicata

ENRes judicata — A matter already finally decided.
ESCosa juzgada
ITCosa giudicata

Sine die

ENSine die — Without a fixed date for resumption.
ESSine die
ITSine die

Stare decisis

ENStare decisis — The principle of following precedent.
ESStare decisis
ITStare decisis / Vincolo del precedente

Sub judice

ENSub judice — Under judicial consideration.
ESSub iudice
ITSub iudice

Ultra vires

ENUltra vires — Beyond one's legal power or authority.
ESUltra vires / Más allá de las facultades
ITUltra vires / Eccesso di potere

Vacatio legis

ENVacatio legis — The period before a law takes effect.
ESVacatio legis
ITVacatio legis

Versus (v.)

ENVersus (v.) — Against, denoting opposing parties.
ESContra (c.)
ITContro (c.)

Audi alteram partem

ENAudi alteram partem — Hear the other side; the right to be heard.
ESAudi alteram partem / Oír a la otra parte
ITAudi alteram partem

Actori incumbit probatio

ENActori incumbit probatio — The burden of proof lies on the claimant.
ESLa prueba incumbe al actor
ITL'onere della prova grava sull'attore

Animus

ENAnimus — The intent or state of mind behind an act.
ESAnimus / Intención
ITAnimus (intenzione)

De minimis

ENDe minimis — The law does not concern itself with trifles.
ESDe minimis
ITDe minimis

Ex officio

ENEx officio — By virtue of one's office; on the court's own initiative.
ESDe oficio
ITD'ufficio

Ignorantia juris non excusat

ENIgnorantia juris non excusat — Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
ESLa ignorancia de la ley no excusa
ITIgnorantia legis non excusat

In camera

ENIn camera — In private, not in open court.
ESA puertas cerradas / In camera
ITA porte chiuse

In limine

ENIn limine — At the outset, before trial begins.
ESIn limine
ITIn limine

In pari delicto

ENIn pari delicto — Where both parties are equally at fault.
ESIn pari delicto / Igual culpa
ITIn pari delicto

Inter alia

ENInter alia — Among other things.
ESInter alia / Entre otras cosas
ITInter alia / Tra l'altro

Mandamus

ENMandamus — A court order compelling performance of a duty.
ESMandamus / Mandamiento
ITMandamus / Ordine di adempimento

Nexus

ENNexus — A connection or link, e.g. between act and harm.
ESNexo
ITNesso

Per curiam

ENPer curiam — A decision issued by the court as a whole.
ESPer curiam
ITPer curiam

Per se

ENPer se — By itself; intrinsically.
ESPer se / En sí mismo
ITPer sé / Di per sé

Res ipsa loquitur

ENRes ipsa loquitur — The thing speaks for itself; negligence inferred.
ESRes ipsa loquitur / La cosa habla por sí misma
ITRes ipsa loquitur

Sui generis

ENSui generis — Of its own kind; unique.
ESSui generis
ITSui generis

Ultra petita

ENUltra petita — A ruling beyond what the parties requested.
ESUltra petita
ITUltra petita

Other areas of the dictionary

  1. General & Procedural Law
  2. Court Personnel & Legal Professionals
  3. Civil Law & Obligations
  4. Contract Law
  5. Criminal Law & Procedure
  6. Tort / Civil Liability
  7. Property & Real Estate Law
  8. Family & Succession Law
  9. Commercial, Corporate & Company Law
  10. Constitutional & Administrative Law
  11. Labor / Employment Law
  12. Tax & Financial Law
  13. Intellectual Property Law
  14. Notarial, Apostille & Certification
  15. Immigration & Citizenship
  16. Banking, Insurance & Finance
  17. All areas — dictionary index

This page is for general orientation only. It is not legal advice and does not substitute for advice from licensed counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Terminology varies between countries and between civil-law and common-law systems; the equivalents shown here are the most common in cross-border practice.

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