Jurisprudence

  • Acta exteriora indicant interiora secreta. Outward acts indicate the thoughts hidden within.
  • Acta simulata veritatis substantiam mutare non possunt. Feigned actions cannot alter the substance of truth. CJ 4.22.2.
  • Actio personalis moritur cum persona. A personal action dies with the person.
  • Actus Dei nemini est damnosus. An act of God is injurious to no one. 2 Bl. Com. 122.
  • Actus Dei nemini facit injuriam. An act of God does wrong to no one. • That is, no one is responsible in damages for inevitable accidents.
  • Actus me invito factus non est meus actus. An act done (by me) against my will is not my act.
  • Actus simulatus nullius est momenti. A feigned action is of no effect. Perhaps based on Dig. 23.2.30 (about simulated marriage).
  • Ad ea quae frequentius accidunt jura adaptantur. The laws are adapted to those cases that occur more frequently.
  • Aequior est dispositio legis quam hominis. The law’s disposition is more impartial than man’s.
  • Alienus dolus nocere alteri non debet. The fraud of one party should not harm another. Dig. 44.4.11pr.
  • Apices juris non sunt jura. Legal niceties are not law.
  • Applicatio est vita regulae. The application is the life of a rule.
  • Argumentum ab auctoritate est fortissimum in lege. An argument drawn from authority is the strongest in law.
  • Argumentum ab impossibili plurimum valet in lege. An argument deduced from an impossibility has the greatest validity in law.
  • Argumentum ab inconvenienti plurimum valet in lege. An argument drawn from what is unsuitable (or improper) has the greatest validity in law. Co. Litt. 66a.
  • Argumentum a communiter accidentibus in jure frequens est. An argument from things commonly happening is frequent in law.
  • Argumentum a divisione est fortissimum in jure. An argument based on a subdivision of the subject is most powerful in law.
  • Argumentum a majori ad minus negative non valet; valet e converso. An argument from the greater to the lesser is of no force in the negative; conversely (in the affirmative) it is valid.
  • Argumentum a simili valet in lege. An argument by analogy (from a similar case) has force in law.
  • Auctoritates philosophorum, medicorum et poetarum sunt in causis allegandae et tenendae. The authoritative opinions of philosophers, physicians, and poets are to be adduced and regarded in causes.
  • Aucupia verborum sunt judice indigna. Quibbling over words is unworthy of a judge.
  • Bona fides tantundem possidenti praestat quantum veritas, quoties lex impedimento non sit. Good faith is as much a guarantee to a possessor as is truth, as long as the law poses no impediment. Dig. 50.17.136.
  • Communis error facit jus. A common error (one often repeated) makes law.
  • Communis error non facit jus. A common error does not make law. • This maxim expresses a view directly contradictory to the view of the immediately preceding maxim. Both are attested in legal literature.
  • Domicilium re et facto transfertur, non nuda contestatione. A domicile is changed in substance and by action, not by mere assertion. Dig. 50.1.20.
  • Jurisprudentia est divinarum atque humanarum rerum notitia, justi atque injusti scientia. Jurisprudence is the knowledge of things divine and human, the science of the just and the unjust. Just. Inst. 1.1.1.
  • Jurisprudentia legis communis Angliae est scientia socialis et copiosa. The jurisprudence of the common law of England is a social science comprehensive in scope.
  • Lex succurrit ignoranti. The law assists the ignorant.
  • Omne ius quo utimur vel ad personas pertinet vel ad res vel ad actiones. Every law that we use pertains to persons or to things or to actions. Gaius Inst. 1.8; Dig. 1.5.1.
  • Par in parem non habet iurisdictionem. Equals have no jurisdiction over each other.
  • Privatorum commodum non debet communi utilitati praeiudicare. The advantage of private citizens should not prejudice the common good. Dig. 8.5.17.
  • Publicum bonum privato est praeferendum. The public good is to be preferred over private advantage.