STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION

1-Wigmore 2023
Atty. Francis Anthony Cris C. Alpas

Latin Maxim Literal Translation/Meaning

a fortiori From stronger; From a stronger argument
a posteriori From later
a priori From earlier
a quo From which
ab initio From the beginning
Actus me invito, non est meus An involuntary act is not one’s own act; An act done
actus against
one’s will is not such person’s act
Actus non facit reum, nisi mens The act itself does not make a man guilty, unless his
sit rea intention
be so
actus reus A guilty act
ad hoc For this purpose
ad hominem at the person
ad infinitum to infinity; forever; without limit
ad litem for the case
ad valorem according to value
aequitas legem sequitur equity follows the law
affidavit he has sworn
alibi elsewhere; at another place
aliunde from elsewhere; from a different source
alter ego another I
amicus curiae friend of the court
animus intention/intent
animus furandi the intention to steal
the intention to remain in one place; the intention to
animus manendi stay
animus possidendi intention to possess
animus revertendi intention to return
ante before
arguendo for the sake of argument
bona fide in good faith
casus fortuitus fortuitous event
caveat may he beware; let him beware
Caveat emptor Let the buyer beware
 certiorari to be apprised; to be informed
ceteris paribus all other things being equal
conditio sine qua non a condition without which the matter cannot be
contra bonos mores against good morals
corpus delicti body of the crime; the body of the offense
corpus juris body of law
culpa guilt
damnum absque injuria damage without legal injury
de facto in fact
de jure according to law; of law
de minimis about the smallest things
De minimis non curat lex The law cares not about mere trifles
de novo anew; starting afresh

Delegatus non potest delegare An agent cannot delegate his authority

Do ut des I give that you may give
Do ut facias I give that you may do
doli incapax incapable of guilt; incapable of wrong
duces tecum bring with you
Dura Lex Sed Lex The law is harsh but it is the law
ejusdem generis of the same class
erga omnes towards all
ergo therefore
erratum having been made in error
et. al. and others
et cetera (etc.) and other things; other things of that type
ex aequo et bono of equity and good
ex officio by virtue of holding an office
ex parte for/from one party
from a thing done afterwards; after the fact; in the
ex post facto light of
subsequent events
Expressio unius est exclusio The express mention of one thing causes the
alterius exclusion of
another
extant existing
Facio ut des I do that you may give
Facio ut facias I do that you may do
Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus False in one thing, false in all
fiat Let it be done.
forum non conveniens disagreeable forum
functus officio having performed his office
genus nunquam perit Genus never perishes; generic things do not perish
gravamen things weighing down
May you have the body; You shall have the body (in
Habeas Corpus court)
hostis humani generis enemy of the human race
Ignorantia juris non excusat Ignorance of the law does not excuse
Id est (i.e) that is
Ibid In the same place
imprimatur Let it be printed.
in camera in the chamber; in private.
in curia In open court
in esse in existence
in flagrante delicto in blazing offense
in limine preliminary; at the outset; on the threshold
in loco parentis in the place of a parent
in omnibus in all; in every respect
in pari delicto in equal offense
in pari materia in the same matter
in personam in person; against the person
in re in the matter of
in rem about a thing; against the thing
inter alia among others; among other things
ipso facto by the fact or act itself; in and of itself
ipso jure the law itself; by operation of law
jurat (He) swears
jus law, right
jus cogens compelling law
Laws to war; Refers to legalities considered before
jus ad bellum entering into
a war, to ensure it is legal to go to war initially. Not to
be
confused with jus in bello, the "laws of war"
concerning how
war is carried out
Laws in war/ Laws of war; Laws governing the
jus in bello conduct of
parties in war
jus sanguinis right of blood
jus soli right of soil
Justitia nemini neganda est Justice is to be denied to no one
Lex prospicit non respicit The law looks forward, not backward
Lis mota The cause or motivation of a legal action or lawsuit;
 The crux
of the controversy
locus standi place of standing
malum in se wrong in itself
malum prohibitum prohibited wrong
mandamus we command
mens rea guilty mind
mobilia sequuntur personam movables follow the person
modus operandi manner of operation
mortis causa in contemplation of death
having changed [the things that] needed to be
mutatis mutandis changed; making
such changes or alterations as the sense requires
negotiorum gestio management of affairs
Nemo dat quod non habet One cannot give what one does not have
nexus connection
non compus mentis not of sound mind and understanding
non sequitur an inconsistent statement, it does not follow
nunc pro tunc now for then
obiter dictum a thing said in passing; a remark in passing
parens patriae parent of the nation
pari passu on equal footing
pendente lite while the litigation is pending
per capita by head
per curiam through the court; in the opinion of the court
per se by itself
per stirpes by branch
persona non grata unwelcome person
posse comitatus power of the county
post mortem after death
prior tempore potior jure; Qui earlier in time, stronger in law or right; He who is first
prior in time
est tempore potior est jure is preferred in law
prima facie at first face; at first appearance
pro bono for good
pro forma as a matter of form
pro hac vice for this turn; for this occasion
pro rata in proportion
as much as it deserves; as much as she or he has
quantum meruit earned
quasi As if, almost
Qui facet per alium facit per se He who acts through another, acts through himself
Qui vult decipi, decipiatur Let him be deceived, who wishes to be deceived
reason for the decision; the reason for deciding; a
ratio decidendi matter that
has been decided
rebus sic stantibus things thus standing
res communis common to all
res gestae things done
Res inter alios acta alteri nocere A thing done between two persons ought not to
non injure another
debet
Res ipsa loquitur The thing speaks for itself
res judicata a matter judged
res nullius nobody's thing
respondeat superior let the master/principal answer
Salus populi est suprema lex The public welfare is the supreme law
Semper pro matriomonio
praesumitur It is always presumed in favor of marriage
Sic So, thus
sine qua non without which, nothing
situs the place
solutio indebiti performance of something not due
stare decisis to stand by [things] decided
status quo the state in which
sub judice under the judge; in the course of trial
subpoena under penalty
subpoena ad testificandum under penalty to be witnessed
subpoena duces tecum bring with you under penalty
sui generis of its own kind/genus
uberrimae fides most abundant faith
Ubi jus ibi remedium Where there is a legal right, there is a remedy
Ubi Lex Non Distiguit Nec Nos Where the law does not distinguish, courts should not
Distinguere Debemos distinguish
ultra vires beyond the powers
veto I forbid.
Verba legis non recedendum est The words of the law must not be departed from
verbatim Word for word; exactly
vice versa the other way around
videre licet (viz.) it is permitted to see; namely
vinculum iuris the chain of the law
No wrong is done to one who consents; No injury can
Volenti non fit injuria be done to a willing person