Latin Legal Terms

Target Language or Knowledge:

actus reus the guilty act that may lead to criminal liability mens rea the guilty mind that may lead to criminal liability lex loci the law of the place where the matter occured de jure something that is established in law regardless of its truth in fact compos mentis of sound mind bona fide in good faith affidavit a sworn statement of fact or testimony ad valorem according to value habeas corpus a writ to challenge the legallity of a detention in absentia a hearing conducted without a party being present inter alia among others ultra vires an act beyond the powers of a person or body modus operandi manner of operation - a person's way of doing something malum in se wrong in and of itself novus actus interveniens a new (intervening) act that breaks the chain of causation