Most Used Legal Maxims, Translation and Meanings with easy explanation that everyone needs to know. Legal Maxim of the Day. These legal maxims are useful for lawyers, business owners, and more.
The law is often described as “a body of rules.” But in reality, the law is much broader than that. It includes principles, precedents, and maxims. Maxims are concise statements of general principles that apply to many situations. They’re also called “legal maxims” because they’re used by judges and lawyers to explain how the law works.
They will help you avoid common mistakes and pitfalls when dealing with contracts, negotiations, and other legal matters.
Here’s an example of a legal maxim: “The law favours the vigilant and not those who sleep upon their rights.” This means that people should take care to protect themselves against potential risks. If you do nothing, you might lose your right to sue someone else for damages.
Literal Meaning – No one, except before God. This legal maxim denotes that any accused person is entitled to make a plea of not guilty, and also that a witness is not obliged to give a response or submit a document that will incriminate himself. For not only does our law refuse to call on a man …
Nemo tenetur accusare se ipsum nisi coram Deo – Legal Maxim Read More »
An unjust law, is no law at all Martin Luther King Jr. “An unjust law is no law at all” is a famous quote by Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent civil rights leader and activist in the United States. The quote is from his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” which he wrote in response to …
Literal Meaning – During litigation. During the suit; while litigation continues. “Pendente lite” is a Latin term that means “while the case is pending”. It is often used in legal contexts to refer to actions or situations that occur during the course of a lawsuit or legal proceeding, before a final decision or judgment has …
Literal Meaning of Pacta sunt servanda- Agreements must be followed. The parties to an agreement must do their best to fulfill their obligations under it. “Pacta sunt servanda” is a Latin phrase that means “agreements must be kept” or “promises must be fulfilled”. The phrase is a fundamental principle of contract law and refers to …
Pacta sunt servanda – Legal Maxim Meaning & Explanation Read More »
Literal Meaning – Authority Referred to the general level of prestige a person had in Ancient Roman society. In the field of law, legal maxims play an important role in guiding the interpretation and application of legal principles. One such maxim is “auctoritas non veritas facit legem,” which translates to “authority, not truth, makes the …
Literal Meaning – For the particular end or case at hand This phrases mean “for this purpose only.” Its literal translation from the Latin is “to this.” Common examples are an ad hoc committee or an ad hoc commission created for a specific or one-time purpose to address issues that fall outside the scope of …
Literal Meaning – At the person It is used to counter another argument. It is based on feelings of prejudice, rather than facts, reason, and logic. It is often a personal attack on someone’s character or motive rather than an attempt to address the actual issue at hand. “Ad hominem” is a Latin term that …
Literal Meaning – On the plaintiff rests the proving. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff. “Actori incumbit probatio” is a Latin legal maxim that means “the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff.” This principle is an important aspect of the legal system in common law jurisdictions such as the United States and …
