1.Ubi jus ibi remedium – Where there is a right, there is a remedy.
2.Volenti non fit injuria – Damage suffered by consent gives no cause of action.
3.Alibi – At another place, elsewhere
4.Audi alteram partem – No man shall be condemned unheard.
5.Locus standi – Right of a party to an action to appear and be heard by the court and be heard by the court
6.Ratio decidendi – Principle or reason underlying a court judgement.
7.Nemo debet esse judex in propria causa – Nobody can be judge in his own case.
8.Nemo bis punitur pro eodem delicto – Nobody can be twice punished for the same offence.
9.Actionable per se – The very act is punishable and no proof of damage is required
10.Quo warranto – By what authority. A writ calling upon one to show under what authority he holds or claims a public office
11.Mandamus – ‘We command’. A writ of command issued by a Higher Court to Government/Public Authority, to compel the performance of a public duty
12.Estoppel – Prevented from denying.
13.Ex parte – Proceedings in the absence of the other party.
14.Ex gratia – As a favour.
15.Ex officio – Because of an office held.
16.Justitia nemini neganda est – Justice is to be denied to nobody.
17.Lex non a rege est violanda – The law must not be violated even by the king.
18.Amicus Curiae – A friend of court or member of the Bar who is appointed to assist the Court
19.Mala fide – In bad faith.
20.Mens rea – Guilty mind.
21.Modus operandi – Way of working.
22.Modus Vivendi – Way of living.
23.Fatum – Beyond human foresight.
24.Detinue – Tort of wrongfully holding goods which belong to someone else.
25.Assentio mentium – The meeting of minds, i.e mutual assents
26.Nolle prosequi – a formal notice of abandonment by a plaintiff or prosecutor of all or part of a suit.
27.Novation – Transaction in which a new contact is agreed by all parties to replace an existing contract.
28.Doli incapax – Incapable of crime
29.Res ipsa loquitor – The thing speaks for itself.
30.Rex non protest peccare – The king can do no wrong.
31.Salus populi est suprema lex – The welfare of the is the supreme law.
32.Status quo – State of things as they are now.
33.Sine die – “with no day”(indefinitely).
34.Sine qua non – “without which nothing”. An essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary. Basically a component of an argument that, if debunked, causes the entire argument to crumble.
35.Denatio mortis causa – Gift because of death.
36.Vis major – Act of God.
37.Ad hoc – For the particular end or case at hand.
28.Misnomer – A wrong or inaccurate name or term.
39.Veto – Ban or order not to allow something to become law, even if it has been passed by a parliament.
40.Vice versa – Reverse position.
Important Legal Maxims
