Legal maxim
A Legal Maxim is an established principle or proposition. The Latin term, apparently a
variant on maxima, is not to be found in Roman law with any meaning exactly analogous to
that of a legal maxim in the Medieval or modern sense of the word, but the treatises of many
of the Roman jurists on Regular definitions, and Sententiae juris are, in some measure,
collections of maxims. Most of the Latin maxims developed in the Medieval era in European
countries that used Latin as their language for law and courts.
A
A mensa et thoro - From bed and board.
A vinculo matrimonii - From the bond of matrimony.
Ab extra - From outside.
Ab initio - From the beginning.
Absoluta sententia expositore non indiget - An absolute judgment needs no
expositor.
Abundans cautela non nocet - Abundant caution does no harm.
Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale - An accessory does not draw, but
follows its principal.
Accessorius sequitur - One who is an accessory to crime
cannot be guilty of a more serious
crime than the principal offender.
Acta exteriora iudicant interiora secreta - Outward acts indicate the inward
intent.
Actio non accrevit infra sex annos- The action has not accrued within
six years.
Actio non datur non damnificato- An action is not given to one who
is not injured.
Actio personalis moritur cum persona- A personal action dies with the
person.
Actiones legis - Law suits.
Actori incumbit onus probandi - The burden of proof lies on the
plaintiff.
,Actus nemini facit injuriam - The act of the law does no one
wrong.
Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea - The act does not make one guilty
unless there be a criminal intent.
Actus reus - A guilty deed or act.
Ad ea quae frequentius acciduunt jura adaptantur - The laws are adapted to those
cases which occur more
frequently.
Ad hoc - For this purpose.
Ad infinitum - Forever, without limit, to infinity.
Ad perpetuam rei memoriam - For a perpetual memorial of the
matter.
Ad quaestionem facti non respondent judices;
ad quaestionem legis non respondent juratores - The judges do not answer to a
question of fact; the jury do not
answer to a question of Law.
Aedificare in tuo proprio solo non licet quod
alteri noceat - It is not lawful to build on one's
own land what may be injurious
to another.
Aequitas legem sequitur - Equity follows the law.
Aequitas nunquam contravenit legem - Equity never contradicts the law.
Alibi - At another place, elsewhere.
Alienatio rei praefertur juri accrescendi - Alienation is preferred by law
rather than accumulation.
Aliunde - From elsewhere, or, from a
different source
Allegans contraria non est audiendus - One making contradictory
statements is not to be heard.
Allegans suam turpitudinem non est audiendus - One alleging his own infamy is
not to be heard.
, Allegatio contra factum non est admittenda - An allegation contrary to a deed
is not to be heard.
Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est - An ambiguity is most strongly
construed against the party using
it.
Ambiguitas verborum patens nulla verificatione
excluditur - A patent ambiguity is never
helped by averment.
Amicus curiae - A friend of the Court.
Angliae jura in omni casu libertati dant favorem - The laws of England are
favorable in every case to liberty.
Animo furandi - With an intention of stealing.
Animo testandi - With an intention of making a
will.
Annus luctus - The year of mourning.
Ante - Before.
Aqua currit et debet currere, ut currere solebat - Water runs and ought to run.
Arbitrium est judicium - An award is a judgment.
Arbor dum crescit; lignum cum crescere nescit - A tree while it grows, wood when
it cannot grow.
Argumentum ab auctoritate fortissimum est in lege - An argument drawn from
authority is the strongest in law.
Argumentum ab impossibilii plurimum valet in lege - An argument from impossibility
is very strong in law.
Argumentum ad hominem - An argument directed a the
person.
Argumentum ad ignoratiam - An argument based upon
ignorance (i.e. of one's
adversary).
Arma in armatos sumere jura sinunt - The laws permit the taking up of
arms against the armed.
A Legal Maxim is an established principle or proposition. The Latin term, apparently a
variant on maxima, is not to be found in Roman law with any meaning exactly analogous to
that of a legal maxim in the Medieval or modern sense of the word, but the treatises of many
of the Roman jurists on Regular definitions, and Sententiae juris are, in some measure,
collections of maxims. Most of the Latin maxims developed in the Medieval era in European
countries that used Latin as their language for law and courts.
A
A mensa et thoro - From bed and board.
A vinculo matrimonii - From the bond of matrimony.
Ab extra - From outside.
Ab initio - From the beginning.
Absoluta sententia expositore non indiget - An absolute judgment needs no
expositor.
Abundans cautela non nocet - Abundant caution does no harm.
Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale - An accessory does not draw, but
follows its principal.
Accessorius sequitur - One who is an accessory to crime
cannot be guilty of a more serious
crime than the principal offender.
Acta exteriora iudicant interiora secreta - Outward acts indicate the inward
intent.
Actio non accrevit infra sex annos- The action has not accrued within
six years.
Actio non datur non damnificato- An action is not given to one who
is not injured.
Actio personalis moritur cum persona- A personal action dies with the
person.
Actiones legis - Law suits.
Actori incumbit onus probandi - The burden of proof lies on the
plaintiff.
,Actus nemini facit injuriam - The act of the law does no one
wrong.
Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea - The act does not make one guilty
unless there be a criminal intent.
Actus reus - A guilty deed or act.
Ad ea quae frequentius acciduunt jura adaptantur - The laws are adapted to those
cases which occur more
frequently.
Ad hoc - For this purpose.
Ad infinitum - Forever, without limit, to infinity.
Ad perpetuam rei memoriam - For a perpetual memorial of the
matter.
Ad quaestionem facti non respondent judices;
ad quaestionem legis non respondent juratores - The judges do not answer to a
question of fact; the jury do not
answer to a question of Law.
Aedificare in tuo proprio solo non licet quod
alteri noceat - It is not lawful to build on one's
own land what may be injurious
to another.
Aequitas legem sequitur - Equity follows the law.
Aequitas nunquam contravenit legem - Equity never contradicts the law.
Alibi - At another place, elsewhere.
Alienatio rei praefertur juri accrescendi - Alienation is preferred by law
rather than accumulation.
Aliunde - From elsewhere, or, from a
different source
Allegans contraria non est audiendus - One making contradictory
statements is not to be heard.
Allegans suam turpitudinem non est audiendus - One alleging his own infamy is
not to be heard.
, Allegatio contra factum non est admittenda - An allegation contrary to a deed
is not to be heard.
Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est - An ambiguity is most strongly
construed against the party using
it.
Ambiguitas verborum patens nulla verificatione
excluditur - A patent ambiguity is never
helped by averment.
Amicus curiae - A friend of the Court.
Angliae jura in omni casu libertati dant favorem - The laws of England are
favorable in every case to liberty.
Animo furandi - With an intention of stealing.
Animo testandi - With an intention of making a
will.
Annus luctus - The year of mourning.
Ante - Before.
Aqua currit et debet currere, ut currere solebat - Water runs and ought to run.
Arbitrium est judicium - An award is a judgment.
Arbor dum crescit; lignum cum crescere nescit - A tree while it grows, wood when
it cannot grow.
Argumentum ab auctoritate fortissimum est in lege - An argument drawn from
authority is the strongest in law.
Argumentum ab impossibilii plurimum valet in lege - An argument from impossibility
is very strong in law.
Argumentum ad hominem - An argument directed a the
person.
Argumentum ad ignoratiam - An argument based upon
ignorance (i.e. of one's
adversary).
Arma in armatos sumere jura sinunt - The laws permit the taking up of
arms against the armed.
