100 Important Legal Maxims for CLAT Exam
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Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea – An act does not make a person guilty unless there is a guilty mind.
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Audi alteram partem – Hear the other side.
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Nemo judex in causa sua – No one should be a judge in his own case.
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Volenti non fit injuria – To a willing person, no injury is done.
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Res ipsa loquitur – The thing speaks for itself.
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Ignorantia juris non excusat – Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
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Injuria sine damno – Legal injury without actual damage.
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Damnum sine injuria – Damage without legal injury.
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Qui facit per alium facit per se – He who acts through another does the act himself.
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Ubi jus ibi remedium – Where there is a right, there is a remedy.
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Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus – False in one thing, false in everything.
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Salus populi suprema lex – Welfare of the people is the supreme law.
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Caveat emptor – Let the buyer beware.
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Caveat venditor – Let the seller beware.
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Ex turpi causa non oritur actio – No action arises from an immoral cause.
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De minimis non curat lex – The law does not concern itself with trifles.
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Nemo debet esse judex in propria causa – No one should be a judge in his own cause.
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Pacta sunt servanda – Agreements must be kept.
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Lex talionis – Law of retaliation.
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Lex non cogit ad impossibilia – The law does not compel the impossible.
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Lex loci – The law of the place.
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Bona fide – In good faith.
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Mala fide – In bad faith.
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Mens rea – Guilty mind.
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Actus reus – Guilty act.
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Mutatis mutandis – With necessary changes.
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Obiter dicta – Things said by the way.
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Ratio decidendi – The reason for the decision.
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Habeas corpus – You may have the body.
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Mandamus – We command.
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Certiorari – To be informed.
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Quo warranto – By what authority.
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Pro bono publico – For the public good.
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Noscitur a sociis – A word is known by the company it keeps.
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Ejusdem generis – Of the same kind.
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Expressio unius est exclusio alterius – The express mention of one excludes the other.
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Stare decisis – To stand by what is decided.
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Res judicata – A matter already judged.
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Sub judice – Under judgment.
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Per incuriam – Through lack of care.
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Corpus delicti – The body of the crime.
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Locus standi – Right to bring an action.
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In limine – At the outset.
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Prima facie – At first sight.
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Inter alia – Among other things.
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Ipso facto – By the fact itself.
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Alibi – Elsewhere.
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Ad hoc – For this.
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Sine die – Without a day.
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Sine qua non – An essential condition.
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Ultra vires – Beyond the powers.
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Intra vires – Within the powers.
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Status quo – The existing state of affairs.
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Amicus curiae – Friend of the court.
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Animus nocendi – Intention to harm.
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Animus possidendi – Intention to possess.
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Animus revertendi – Intention to return.
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Consensus ad idem – Meeting of the minds.
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Nemo dat quod non habet – No one can give what they do not have.
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Lex posterior derogat priori – A later law repeals an earlier one.
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Lex specialis derogat generali – Special law overrides general law.
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Fiat justitia ruat caelum – Let justice be done though the heavens fall.
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Amicus curiae – A friend of the court.
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Re ipsa loquitur – The thing speaks for itself.
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Delegatus non potest delegare – A delegate cannot further delegate.
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Interest reipublicae ut sit finis litium – It is in the interest of the state that there be an end to litigation.
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In pari delicto potior est conditio defendentis – Where both parties are at fault, the defendant is in the stronger position.
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Ex parte – From one side only.
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Doli incapax – Incapable of evil (generally a minor).
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Consensus facit legem – Consent makes the law.
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Qui prior est tempore potior est jure – He who is earlier in time is stronger in law.
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Turpi causa – Immoral or illegal cause.
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Vis major – Superior force.
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Vicarious liability – Liability for the acts of another.
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Ratio legis est anima legis – The reason of the law is the soul of the law.
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Voluntas reputatur pro facto – The will is to be taken for the deed.
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Lex fori – The law of the court.
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Culpa lata dolo aequiparatur – Gross negligence is equivalent to fraud.
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Ignorantia facti excusat – Ignorance of fact is an excuse.
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Contradictio in adjecto – A contradiction in terms.
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Lex domicilii – Law of the domicile.
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Contemporanea expositio est optima et fortissima in lege – The best way to interpret a document is to read it as it would have been read when it was written.
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Solutio indebiti – Repayment of what is not due.
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Nullum crimen sine lege – No crime without law.
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Pari passu – Equally and without preference.
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Necessitas non habet legem – Necessity knows no law.
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Non compos mentis – Not of sound mind.
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Quid pro quo – Something for something.
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In promptu – In readiness.
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Contra bonos mores – Against good morals.
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In dubio pro reo – When in doubt, for the accused.
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Non obstante – Notwithstanding.
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Sub poena – Under penalty.
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Testamenta latrantia – Barking wills (invalid documents).
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Dictum – A statement of opinion.
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Ratio legis – Reason of the law.
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Rebus sic stantibus – Things thus standing (changed circumstances).
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Restitutio in integrum – Restoration to original condition.
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Contra legem – Against the law.
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Curia advisari vult – The court wishes to be advised.
Great post! Clear and concise law notes are key to understanding complex legal concepts. They’re an invaluable resource for every law student. College of Law in Prayagraj.
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