Boni judicis lites dirimere est – It is the duty of a good judge to prevent litigation.
Bonus judex secundum aequum et bonum judicat et aequitatem stricto juri praefert – A good judge decides according to justice and right and prefers equity to strict law.
Breve judiciale non cadit pro defectu formae – A judicial writing does not fail through defect of form.
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.
Assentio mentium – The meeting of minds, i.e. mutual assent.
Assignatus utitur jure auctoris – An assignee is clothed with rights of his assignor.
Audi alteram partem – Hear the other side.
Aula regis – The King’s Court.
B
Benignior sententia in verbis generalibus seu dubiis est preferenda – The more favorable construction is to be placed on general or doubtful words.
Bis dat qui cito dat – He gives (pays) twice who pays promptly.
Bona fide – Sincere, in good faith
Bona vacantia – Goods without an owner
Boni judicis est ampliare jurisdictionem – It is the part of a good judge to enlarge his jurisdiction, i.e. remedial authority.
Boni judicis est judicium sine dilatione mandare executioni – It is the duty of a good judge to cause execution to issue on a judgment without delay.
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.
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 the 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 s*x 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.