Latin Legacy in the Law and Government

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Law and Government

Latin lives on in many of the institutions set up by the Romans including government and law. The Roman balance of power during the Republic which included elected consuls, a senate and various citizen assemblies inspired the founding fathers of the United States to create a similar governmental structure.

Additionally Latin terms can be found in legal terminology. Latin background will be helpful for students interested in learning more about a legal career. Let's explore more examples below.

**Latin Legal Expressions Defined**
Latin Legal Expression, part 1	Latin Legal Expression, part 2	Latin Legal Expression, part 3
ad hoc for this purpose, i.e. special amicus curiae friend of the court A person who advises a court on a matter of law in a case of which he is not a party bona fide in good faith Sincere, genuine corpus delicti body of the crime Material evidence of the fact that a crime has been committed cui bono for whose good, for what purpose Who benefitted? de facto according to fact, actually de jure according to law, legally de minimis non curat lex the law does not care for trifles et alii, et alia (et al.) and the other persons, and the other things et uxor and his wife ex officio in virtue of one's office ex post facto from the action afterwards operating retroactively	habeas corpus you shall have the body writ requiring that a party be brought before a court or judge promptly. in absentia in one's absence a trial conducted with the defendant not present in flagrante delicto in flagrant crime a crime of passion in propria persona in one's own person acting in court without a lawyer ipso facto by the fact itself mala fide in bad faith modus operandi (MO) manner or way of operating motive for a crime nolle prosequi to be unwilling to pursue a declaration that the plaintiff or prosecutor will drop prosecution of all or part of a suit or indictment nolo contendere I will not contend a plea made by the defendant equivalent to admission of guilt but leaving open the possibility for him to deny alleged facts in other proceedings non compos mentis not having control of the mind not of sound mind and thus not legally responsible	obiter dictum said by the way an incidental remark by the judge or other person onus probandi burden of proof per capita by heads individually per se through itself, by itself per stirpes by the stalk or stem a method of distributing an estate equally among living descendants (each "branch" of the family gets an equal portion) prima facie at first sight pro forma as a matter of form pro tempore (pro tem.) for the time being, temporarily quid pro quo something for something an equal exchange or substitution - trading favors for favors sine die without a day no set day for reconvening a trial or matter subpoena under penalty a writ requiring someone to do something under the threat of legal penalty