Legal Maxims N - Z | Legal Reasoning for CLAT PDF Download

Terms with 'N'

• Nam nemo haeres viventis → For no one is an heir of a living person.
• Nemo potest esse tenens et dominus → No one can at the same time be a tenant and a landlord (of the same tenement).
• Nemo se accusare debet, nisi coram deo → No one should accuse himself except in the presence of God.
• Nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se → No one is bound to arm his adversary against himself.
• Nexus → Connection
• Nil facit error nominis cum de corpore constat → An error of name makes not difference when it appears from the body of the instrument.
• Nisi → Unless.
• Non compus mentis → Not of sound mind and understanding.
• Non constat → It is not certain.
• Non decipitur qui scit se decipi → He is not deceived who knows that he is deceived.
• Non cst arctlus vinculum inter homines quam jusjurandum → There is no stronger link among men than an oath.
• Non cst factum → It is not his deed.
• Non est informatus → He is not informed.
• Non facias malum ut inde veniat bonum → You shall not be evil that good may come of it.

Terms with 'O'

• Omnis innovatio plus novitate perturbat quam utilitate prodeat → Every innovation disturbs more by its novelty than it benefits by its utility.
• Optima legum interpres est consuetudo → The best interpreter of laws is custom.
• Optimus interpres rerum est usus → The best interpreter of things is usage.

Terms with 'P'

• Pacta privata juri publico non derogare possunt → Private contracts cannot derogate from public law.
• Par delictum → Equal fault.
• Pari passu → On an equal footing.
• Pater est quem nuptiae demonstrant → The father is he whom the marriage points out.
• Peccata contra naturam sunt gravissima → Wrongs against nature are the most serious.
• Per curiam → In the opinion of the court.
• Post mortem → After death
• Prima facie → On the face of it.
• Prima impressionis → On first impression.
• Pro hac vice → For this occasion.
• Pro rata → In proportion.
• Pro tanto → So far, to that extent
• Pro tempore → For the time being.

Terms with 'Q'

• Quaeitur → The question is raised.
• Quantum → How much, an amount.
• Qui facit per alium, tacit per sc → He who acts through another acts himself.
• Qui haem in litcra, hacret in cortlce → He who shoes to the letter, slicks to the bark.
• Qui in utcro est, pro jam nato habetur, quotics dc ejus commodo quaeritur → He who is in lire womb is considered as already bon- as tar as his benefit is considered more true. and w hat is prior in time is stronger in law. 
• Quod vanum et inutile est, lex non requiril → The law does not require what is vain and useless.
• Quinon habet, ille non dat → He who has not, does not give.
• Qui non improbat, approbat → He who does not disapprove, approves.
• Qui peccat evrius, luat sobrius → He who does wrong when drunk must be punished when sober.
• Qui potest et debet vetare et non vetat jubet → He who is able and ought to forbit and does not, commands.
• Qui prior est tempore potior est jure → He who is prior in time is stronger in right.
• Qui sentit commodum, debet et sentire onus → He who derives a benefit ought also to bear a burden.
• Qui tacet consentire videtur → He who is silent appears to consent.
• Quid pro quo → Consideration, something for something.
• Quod constat curiae opere testium non indiget → What appears to the court needs not the help of witnesses.
• Quod nccessarie intelligitur, id non deest → What is necessarily understood is not wanting.
• Quod nccessitas cogit, defendit → What necessity forces it justifies.
• Quod non apparet, non est → What does appear, is not.
• Quod non habet principium non hab flnem → What has no beginning has no end.
• Quod per me non possum, nec per alium → What I cannot do through myself I cannot through another.

Terms with 'R'

• Reprobata pecunia leberat solventem → Money refused releases the debtor.
• Res → Matter, affair, thing, circumstance.
• Res gestae → Things done.
• Res integra → A matter untouched (by decision).
• Res inter alios acta alteri nocere non debet → Things done between strangers ought not to affect a third person, who is a stranger to the transaction.
• Res judicata accipitur pro veritate → A thing adjudged is accepted for the truth.
• Res nuilius → Nobodys property.
• Respondeat superior → Let the principal answer.
• Rex est major singulis, minor universis → The King is greater than individuals, less than all the people.
• Rex quod injustum est facere non potest → The King cannot do what is unjust.

Terms with 'S'

•  Semper pro matriomonio praesumitur → It is always presumed in favour of marriage.
• Servitia personalia sequuntur personam → Personal services follow the person.
• Sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas → So, use your own as not to injure anothers property.
• Simplex commendatio non obligat → A simple recommendation does not bind.
• Stare decisis → To stand by decisions (precedents).
• Stet → Do not delete, let it stand.
• Sub modo → Within limits
• Sub nomine → Under the name of
• Sub silentio → In silence.
• Sublato fundamento, cadit opus → The rion being removed, the structure falls.
• Suggestio falsi → The suggestion of something which is untrue.
• Sui generis → Unique.
• Summa  ratio est quae pro religione facit → The highest reason is that which makes for religion, i.e. religion dictates.
• Supperssio veri expressio falsi → A suppression of truth is equivalent to an expression of falsehood.

Terms with 'T'

• Trails qualis → Such as it is.
• Terra firma → Solid ground.
• Traditio loqui chartam facit → Delivery makes a deed speak.
• Transit terra cum onere → The land passes with its burden.

Terms with 'U'

• Ubi eadem ratio ibi idem jus, et de similibus idem est judicium → When there is the same reason, then the law is the same, and the same judgement should be rendered as to similar things
• Ut poena ad paucos, metus ad omnes, perveniat → That punishment come to a few, the fear of it should affect all.
• Utile per inutile non vitiatur → What is useful is not vitiated by the useless.

Terms with 'V'

• Vacate → To set aside.
• Venue → Authority of a court to hear a matter based on geographical location.
• Verdict → A conclusion, as to fact or law that forms the basis for the court's judgement. (See Directed verdict.)
• Visa → An official endorsement on a document or passport denoting that the bearer may proceed.
• Vold → Invalid a void agreement is one for which there is no remedy.
• Voidable → Capable of being declared invalid; a voidable contract is one were a person may avoid his obligation, as a contract between an adult and a minor.
• Voir Dire → The preliminary examination made in court of a witness or juror to determine his competency or interest in a matter. Literally, to speak the truth.
• Verba debent intelligi cum effectu → Words ought to be understood with effect.
• Verba intentioni, non e contra, debent inservire → Words ought to serve the intention, not the reverse.
• Vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt → The laws serve the vigilant, not those who sleep.
• Vir et uxor consentur in lege una persona → A husband and wife are regarded in law as one person.
• Volens Willing Volenti non fit injuria → An injury is not done to one consenting to it.
• Voluntas in delictis non exitus spectatur → In offences the intent and not the result is looked at.
• Voluntas reputatur pro facto → The will is taken for the deed.

Terms with 'W'

• Waiver → Intentionally given up a rig t. 
• Waiver of Immunity → A means authorised by statute by which a witness , before testifying or producing evidence, may relinquish the right to refuse to testify against himself or herself, thereby making it possible for his or her testimony to be used against  him or her in future proceeding.
• Warrant → Most commonly, a court order authorising law enforcement officers to make an arrest or conduct a search. An application seeking a warrant must be accompanied by an affidavit which facts upon which the request is based.
• Warranty → A promise that a proposition of fact is true.
• Warranty Deed → A deed which guarantees that the title conveyed is good and its transfer rightful
• Water Rights → The rights to use water.
• Will → A legal declaration that disposes of a person's property when that person dies.
• Withholding → A tax dedcuted from a salary, wage or other income on behalf of the government at the time of payment of wages to the person who pays it.
• Witness → One who personally sees or perceives a thing; one who testifies as to what he has seen, heard or otherwise observed.
• Words and Phrases Legally Defined → A book in dictionary form which lists judicial determinations of a word or phrase.
• Worker's Compensation → A state agency handles claims of workers injured on their jobs.
• Writ → A judicial order directing a person to do something.
• Writ of Certiorari → An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will h on appeal.
• Writ of Execution → An order of the court evidencing debt of one party to another and commanding the court officer to take prop in satisfaction of the debt.
• Writ of Garnishment → An order of the court whereby property, money or credits in the possession of another person may be seized and applied to pay a debtor's debt. It is used as an incident to or auxiliary of a judgement rendered in a principal action

Terms with 'Z'

• Zoning Commission → Local agencies with jurisdiction to regulate use of properties within their geographic area.