LatinLegalTerms http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Sparta/9909/legal.html. Amicuscuriae:Friendofthecourt.Referstoapartythatisallowedtoprovideinformation(usuallyintheformof alegalbrief)toacourteventhoughthepartisnotdirectlyinvolvedinthecaseathand. Caveat emptor: let the buyer beware.

e. This rule generally applies to all sales between individuals. It gives the buyerfullresponsibilitytodeterminethequalityofthegoodsinquestion.Thesellergenerallyhasnodutytooffer warrantiesortodiscloseallinformationaboutthegoods. Certiorari:tobeinformedof.Referstotheorderacourtissuessothatitcanreviewanygraveabuseofdiscretion amountingtolackorexcessofjurisdictionfromanybranchorinstrumentalityofthegovernment.Whensuchone ismade,itissaidthatthecourthasgrantedcertiorari. Corpus delicti: The body (physical manifestation) of a crime. E.g., the corpse of a murdered man, the charred remainsofaburnedhouse De facto: Literally, in fact. A corporation, person or state of affairs that exists in reality though perhaps not officially;amatterofconductorpracticenotfoundeduponlaw. Dejure:Literally,byright.Acorporation,personorstateofaffairsfunctioninginaccordancewiththelaw. De novo: Usually applied to trial de novo, a system that permits a defendant to elect a second, totally new trial beforeajuryifthefirsttrialwasbeforeajudgeandthedefendantisdissatisfiedwiththejudgesdecision. Et seq:Shortforetsequentes,oretesquentia,meaningandthefollowingUsedfrequentlyinlegalreferencesto indicatethematerialfollowingthepagecited. Expostfacto:Afterthefact;anactorfactoccurringaftersomepreviousrelatedact. Exrel:"onbehalfof."Usedinnamingofcases. Exparte:"byorforoneparty."Referstosituationsinwhichonlyoneparty(andnottheadversary)appearsbefore ajudge.Suchmeetingsareoftenforbidden. Guardian ad litem:"guardianatlaw."Theperson appointed bythecourttolook outforthebestinterestsofthe childduringthecourseoflegalproceedings. Habeas corpus: "you shall have the body." Prisoners often seek release by filing a petition for a writ of habeas corpus.Awritofhabeascorpusisajudicialmandatetoaprisonofficialorderingthataninmatebebroughttothe courtsoitcanbedeterminedwhetherornotthatpersonisimprisonedlawfully. In camera: "in chambers." Refers to a hearing or inspection of documents that takes places in private, often in a judge'schambers. Interlocutory:Courtordersthatareprovisional,temporaryandnotfinal. Lis pendens: Generally a notice filed in the registry of deeds to warn persons that title to certain property is in litigation. Locusdelicti:Theplaceoftheoffense. Neexeat:Alegalprocessseekingtopreventapersonfromleavingthestateorjurisdictiontoavoidlitigation.

Nolle prosequi: Commonly, nol pros; a prosecutor's decision not to prosecute a criminal case after charges have beenbrought. Nolocontendere:Commonly,nolo;apleaindicatingthedefendantwillnotcontestacriminalcharge. Noncomposmentis:"notofsoundmind." Nonobstanteverdicto:Commonly,N.O.V.;ajudgmententeredbyatrialjudgethatiscontrarytothejuryverdict. Nuncprotunc:Literally,"nowforthen";actsorentriesofdecreesorjudgmentsmaderetroactivetoanearlierdate. Parens patriae:"parentofhiscountry."Usedwhenthegovernmentactsonbehalfofachildormentallyillperson. Referstothe"state"astheguardianofminorsandincompetentpeople. Percuriam:Literally,"throughthecourt";anopinionofanappellatecourtnotattributabletoanyonejudge. Prima facie:"atfirstview."Referstotheminimumamountofevidenceaplaintiffmusthavetoavoidhavingacase dismissed.Itissaidthattheplaintiffmustmakeaprimafaciecase. Pro bono publico: Literally, "for the public good"; usually referring to voluntary service rendered by attorneys; commonlyabbreviatedasprobono. Pro se:(pronouncedprosay)"forhimself."Apersonwhorepresentshimselfincourtalonewithoutthehelpofa lawyerissaidtoappearprose. Quid pro quo:"whatforwhatorsomethingforsomething."Theconceptofgettingsomethingofvalueinreturnfor givingsomethingofvalue.Foracontracttobebinding,itusuallymustinvolvetheexchangeofsomethingofvalue. *Quid pro quo sexual harassment: Where an employee is threatened with a demotion (or promised a promotion) in exchange for "sexual favors." It usually comes from a supervisor or other person in a position of authority. Resipsaloquitur:"thethingspeaksforitself."Referstosituationswhenit'sassumedthat a person's injury was caused by the negligent action of another party because the accident was the sort that wouldn'toccurunlesssomeonewasnegligent. Sinequanon:Literally,"withoutwhichnothing";anindispensablerequisite. Stare decisis:"tostandbythatwhichisdecided."Referstotheprincipleofadheringtoprecedentwhendecidinga case. Subpoena:"underpenalty."Anordercompellingapersontoappeartotestifyorproducedocuments. Subpoena duces tecum: Literally, "bring them with you." A court order compelling a witness to produce certain documents. Venire: Literally, "to come"; an order summoning persons to court to act as jurors, often applied to the group of jurorssummoned