Legal Maxims Dictionary

Lex naturae est lex Dei

“The law of nature is the law of God”

Lex iniusta non est lex

“An unjust law is no law at all”

Salus populi suprema lex esto

“The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law”

Jus naturale est quod apud omnes homines eandem habet potentiam

“Natural law is that which has the same force among all men”

Prima lex naturae est seipsum conservare

“The first law of nature is self-preservation”

Ratio legis est anima legis

“The reason of the law is the soul of the law”

Ignorantia juris non excusat

“Ignorance of the law excuses no one”

Nemo judex in causa sua

“No one shall be judge in their own cause”

Rex non potest peccare

“The sovereign cannot sin [against himself]”

Nemo plus juris ad alium transferre potest quam ipse haberet

“No one can transfer more right than they themselves possess”

Par in parem non habet imperium

“An equal has no authority over an equal”

Audi alteram partem

“Hear the other side”

Consensus ad idem

“Agreement on the same thing”

Pacta sunt servanda

“Agreements must be kept”

Ex turpi causa non oritur actio

“From a dishonourable cause, no action arises”

Nemo dat quod non habet

“No one gives what they do not have”

Caveat emptor

“Let the buyer beware”

Metus non excusat, sed vitiat consensum

“Fear does not excuse, but it vitiates consent”

Frustra legis auxilium quaerit qui in legem committit

“He who offends the law seeks the aid of the law in vain”

Habeas corpus ad subjiciendum

“You shall have the body [brought before the court]”

Nulla poena sine lege

“No punishment without a law”

Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat

“The burden of proof lies upon the one who affirms, not the one who denies”

Res judicata pro veritate accipitur

“A matter adjudged is taken for truth”

Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea

“An act does not make one guilty unless the mind is also guilty”

Aequitas sequitur legem

“Equity follows the law”

Qui aequitatem quaerit, debet aequitatem facere

“He who seeks equity must do equity”

Nullus commodum capere potest de injuria sua propria

“No one can profit from their own wrong”

Justitia nemini neganda est

“Justice is to be denied to no one”

Sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas

“Use your own property so as not to injure another's”

Possessio est quasi pedis positio

“Possession is, as it were, the position of the foot”

Quod solo inaedificatur solo cedit

“What is built on the land belongs to the land”

Fructus naturales sunt partes soli

“Natural fruits are part of the soil”

Expressio unius est exclusio alterius

“The expression of one thing is the exclusion of another”

Ejusdem generis

“Of the same kind”

Noscitur a sociis

“It is known by its associates”

Verba accipienda sunt secundum subjectam materiam

“Words are to be understood according to their subject matter”

Verba chartarum fortius accipiuntur contra proferentem

“Words of a document are construed most strongly against the drafter”

Generalia specialibus non derogant

“General provisions do not derogate from specific ones”