2016م - 1444هـ
Latin Phrases Used In Legal English





Term or phraseLiteral translationDefinition and useEnglish pron

a fortiorifrom boldAn a fortiori argument is an "argument from a stronger reason", meaning that, because one fact is true, a second (related and included) fact must also be true./ˌeɪ fɔːrtiˈoʊraɪ, ˌeɪ fɔːrʃiˈoʊraɪ/

a mensa et thorofrom table and bedDivorce a mensa et thoro indicates legal separation without legal divorce./ˌeɪ ˈmɛnsə ɛt ˈθoʊroʊ/

a posteriorifrom laterAn argument derived from subsequent event./ˌeɪ ˌpɒstiːrioʊraɪ/

a priorifrom earlierAn argument derived from previous event./ˌeɪ praɪoʊraɪ/

a quofrom whichRegarding a court below in an appeal, either a court of first instance or an appellate court, known as the court a quo./ˌeɪ ˈkwoʊ/

ab extrafrom outsideConcerning a case, a person may have received some funding from a 3rd party. This funding may have been considered ab extra./ˌæb ˈɛkstrə/

ab initiofrom the beginning"Commonly used referring to the time a contract, statute, marriage, or deed become legal. e.g The couple was covered ab initio by her health policy."[1]/ˌæb ɪˈnɪʃioʊ/

absque hocwithout this"Presenting the negative portion of a plea when pleading at common by way a special traverse."[1]

actus reusguilty actPart of what proves criminal liability (with mens rea)./ˌæktəs ˈriːəs/

ad coelumto the skyAbbreviated from Cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad infernos which translates to "[for] whoever owns [the] soil, [it] is his all the way [up] to Heaven and [down] to Hell." The principle that the owner of a parcel of land also owns the air above and the ground below the parcel./ˌæd ˈsiːləm/

ad colligenda bonato collect the goods

ad hocfor thisGenerally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes./ˌæd ˈhɒk/

ad hominemat the personAttacking an opponent's character rather than answering his argument.