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100 Important Legal Maxims for CLAT Exam By Knowledge Nation Law Centre


100 Important Legal Maxims for CLAT Exam

  1. Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea – An act does not make a person guilty unless there is a guilty mind.

  2. Audi alteram partem – Hear the other side.

  3. Nemo judex in causa sua – No one should be a judge in his own case.

  4. Volenti non fit injuria – To a willing person, no injury is done.

  5. Res ipsa loquitur – The thing speaks for itself.

  6. Ignorantia juris non excusat – Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

  7. Injuria sine damno – Legal injury without actual damage.

  8. Damnum sine injuria – Damage without legal injury.

  9. Qui facit per alium facit per se – He who acts through another does the act himself.

  10. Ubi jus ibi remedium – Where there is a right, there is a remedy.

  11. Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus – False in one thing, false in everything.

  12. Salus populi suprema lex – Welfare of the people is the supreme law.

  13. Caveat emptor – Let the buyer beware.

  14. Caveat venditor – Let the seller beware.

  15. Ex turpi causa non oritur actio – No action arises from an immoral cause.

  16. De minimis non curat lex – The law does not concern itself with trifles.

  17. Nemo debet esse judex in propria causa – No one should be a judge in his own cause.

  18. Pacta sunt servanda – Agreements must be kept.

  19. Lex talionis – Law of retaliation.

  20. Lex non cogit ad impossibilia – The law does not compel the impossible.

  21. Lex loci – The law of the place.

  22. Bona fide – In good faith.

  23. Mala fide – In bad faith.

  24. Mens rea – Guilty mind.

  25. Actus reus – Guilty act.

  26. Mutatis mutandis – With necessary changes.

  27. Obiter dicta – Things said by the way.

  28. Ratio decidendi – The reason for the decision.

  29. Habeas corpus – You may have the body.

  30. Mandamus – We command.

  31. Certiorari – To be informed.

  32. Quo warranto – By what authority.

  33. Pro bono publico – For the public good.

  34. Noscitur a sociis – A word is known by the company it keeps.

  35. Ejusdem generis – Of the same kind.

  36. Expressio unius est exclusio alterius – The express mention of one excludes the other.

  37. Stare decisis – To stand by what is decided.

  38. Res judicata – A matter already judged.

  39. Sub judice – Under judgment.

  40. Per incuriam – Through lack of care.

  41. Corpus delicti – The body of the crime.

  42. Locus standi – Right to bring an action.

  43. In limine – At the outset.

  44. Prima facie – At first sight.

  45. Inter alia – Among other things.

  46. Ipso facto – By the fact itself.

  47. Alibi – Elsewhere.

  48. Ad hoc – For this.

  49. Sine die – Without a day.

  50. Sine qua non – An essential condition.

  51. Ultra vires – Beyond the powers.

  52. Intra vires – Within the powers.

  53. Status quo – The existing state of affairs.

  54. Amicus curiae – Friend of the court.

  55. Animus nocendi – Intention to harm.

  56. Animus possidendi – Intention to possess.

  57. Animus revertendi – Intention to return.

  58. Consensus ad idem – Meeting of the minds.

  59. Nemo dat quod non habet – No one can give what they do not have.

  60. Lex posterior derogat priori – A later law repeals an earlier one.

  61. Lex specialis derogat generali – Special law overrides general law.

  62. Fiat justitia ruat caelum – Let justice be done though the heavens fall.

  63. Amicus curiae – A friend of the court.

  64. Re ipsa loquitur – The thing speaks for itself.

  65. Delegatus non potest delegare – A delegate cannot further delegate.

  66. Interest reipublicae ut sit finis litium – It is in the interest of the state that there be an end to litigation.

  67. In pari delicto potior est conditio defendentis – Where both parties are at fault, the defendant is in the stronger position.

  68. Ex parte – From one side only.

  69. Doli incapax – Incapable of evil (generally a minor).

  70. Consensus facit legem – Consent makes the law.

  71. Qui prior est tempore potior est jure – He who is earlier in time is stronger in law.

  72. Turpi causa – Immoral or illegal cause.

  73. Vis major – Superior force.

  74. Vicarious liability – Liability for the acts of another.

  75. Ratio legis est anima legis – The reason of the law is the soul of the law.

  76. Voluntas reputatur pro facto – The will is to be taken for the deed.

  77. Lex fori – The law of the court.

  78. Culpa lata dolo aequiparatur – Gross negligence is equivalent to fraud.

  79. Ignorantia facti excusat – Ignorance of fact is an excuse.

  80. Contradictio in adjecto – A contradiction in terms.

  81. Lex domicilii – Law of the domicile.

  82. 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.

  83. Solutio indebiti – Repayment of what is not due.

  84. Nullum crimen sine lege – No crime without law.

  85. Pari passu – Equally and without preference.

  86. Necessitas non habet legem – Necessity knows no law.

  87. Non compos mentis – Not of sound mind.

  88. Quid pro quo – Something for something.

  89. In promptu – In readiness.

  90. Contra bonos mores – Against good morals.

  91. In dubio pro reo – When in doubt, for the accused.

  92. Non obstante – Notwithstanding.

  93. Sub poena – Under penalty.

  94. Testamenta latrantia – Barking wills (invalid documents).

  95. Dictum – A statement of opinion.

  96. Ratio legis – Reason of the law.

  97. Rebus sic stantibus – Things thus standing (changed circumstances).

  98. Restitutio in integrum – Restoration to original condition.

  99. Contra legem – Against the law.

  100. Curia advisari vult – The court wishes to be advised.

Article by Knowledge Nation Law Centre - CLAT Coaching Institute 


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