Reference
Legal language, translated
Courts and statutes use words that mean something different from their everyday sense — and Latin phrases that have never been retired. Each entry gives you the short answer first, then the detail, and tells you which legal traditions use the term.
A
- Actus reusguilty actcommon-law
- The physical element of an offence: the prohibited conduct, circumstances or result.
- See also:mens-rea
- Ad hoc arbitrationcommon-lawcivil-law
- Arbitration conducted without the administrative support of an institution.
- See also:arbitral-awardseat-of-arbitration
- Amicus curiaefriend of the courtcommon-lawcivil-law
- A non-party permitted to file submissions because it has a legitimate interest in the outcome.
- See also:intervenerpublic-interest-litigation
- Amparocivil-lawconstitutional
- A Latin American constitutional remedy protecting fundamental rights through expedited proceedings.
- See also:habeas-corpusjudicial-review
- Appealcommon-lawcivil-law
- Review of a lower court's decision on fact, law or both.
- See also:cassationrevision
- Arbitral awardcommon-lawcivil-law
- The binding decision of an arbitral tribunal, enforceable in over 170 states.
- See also:ad-hoc-arbitrationseat-of-arbitration
B
- Basic structure doctrineconstitutional
- The principle that constitutional amendments cannot destroy a constitution's essential features.
- See also:eternity-clausejudicial-review
- Burden of proofcommon-lawcivil-law
- The obligation to prove a disputed fact, and the standard to which it must be proved.
- See also:presumption-of-innocencestandard-of-review
C
- Cassationcivil-law
- Review limited to points of law, with the power to quash and remit rather than substitute a decision.
- See also:appealrevision
- Civil law systemcivil-law
- A legal tradition organised around comprehensive written codes.
- See also:common-law-systemcodification
- Codificationcivil-law
- Consolidating the law of an area into a single systematic statute.
- See also:civil-law-system
- Common law systemcommon-law
- A tradition in which judicial precedent is a primary source of law.
- See also:civil-law-systemstare-decisis
D
- Due processcommon-lawconstitutional
- The requirement that state action affecting rights follows fair procedure and, in some systems, respects substantive limits.
- See also:natural-justiceproportionality
E
- Estoppelcommon-law
- A doctrine preventing a party from resiling from a position others have relied on.
- See also:good-faithstare-decisis
- Eternity clauseconstitutional
- A constitutional provision placing certain principles beyond amendment.
- See also:basic-structure-doctrinejudicial-review
F
- Federalismconstitutional
- The constitutional division of sovereign power between national and regional governments.
- See also:subsidiarityjudicial-review
- Force majeurecivil-lawcommon-law
- A contractual or statutory excuse for non-performance caused by an unforeseeable external event.
- See also:hardshipfrustration
- Frustration of contractcommon-law
- Automatic discharge of a contract when an unforeseen event makes performance impossible or radically different.
- See also:force-majeurehardship
G
- Good faithbona fidescivil-law
- An obligation to act honestly and with due regard to the other party's legitimate interests.
- See also:estoppelforce-majeure
H
- Habeas corpusthat you have the bodycommon-lawconstitutional
- A remedy requiring the state to justify a person's detention before a court.
- See also:amparodue-process
- Hardshipcivil-law
- A change of circumstances that fundamentally alters the contractual balance, permitting renegotiation or adaptation.
- See also:force-majeurefrustration
J
- Judicial reviewcommon-lawcivil-lawconstitutional
- Court scrutiny of the legality of legislation or administrative action.
- See also:cassationeternity-clauseultra-vires
- Jus cogenscompelling lawinternational
- Peremptory norms of international law from which no derogation is permitted.
- See also:treatyuniversal-jurisdiction
L
- Locus standiplace to standcommon-lawcivil-law
- The requirement that a claimant have sufficient interest to bring proceedings.
- See also:amicus-curiaejudicial-review
M
- Mens reaguilty mindcommon-lawcivil-law
- The mental element required for criminal liability.
- See also:actus-reuspresumption-of-innocence
- Monism and dualisminternationalconstitutional
- Competing accounts of how international law enters domestic legal systems.
- See also:treatysubsidiarity
N
- Natural justicecommon-law
- The minimum procedural fairness owed by any decision-maker: a fair hearing and an unbiased tribunal.
- See also:due-processjudicial-review
O
- Obiter dictumsaid in passingcommon-law
- A judicial remark not necessary to the decision, which persuades but does not bind.
- See also:ratio-decidendiprecedent
P
- Precedentcommon-law
- A decided case that guides or binds later courts on the same legal question.
- See also:stare-decisisratio-decidendi
- Presumption of innocencecommon-lawcivil-lawinternational
- The rule that an accused is treated as innocent until proved guilty according to law.
- See also:burden-of-proofmens-rea
- Proportionalityconstitutional
- A structured test for whether a limitation on rights is justified.
- See also:due-processjudicial-review
- Public interest litigationcommon-lawconstitutional
- Proceedings brought to vindicate a collective or public interest rather than a purely personal one.
- See also:locus-standiamicus-curiae
R
- Ratio decidendithe reason for decidingcommon-law
- The legal principle essential to a court's decision, and the only part that binds.
- See also:precedentobiter-dictum
- Revisioncivil-law
- Appellate review on points of law with the power to decide the case itself.
- See also:cassationappeal
S
- Seat of arbitrationcommon-lawcivil-law
- The legal home of an arbitration, determining the supervisory court and annulment grounds.
- See also:arbitral-awardad-hoc-arbitration
- Standard of reviewcommon-lawconstitutional
- The intensity with which a court scrutinises the decision under challenge.
- See also:judicial-reviewproportionalityburden-of-proof
- Stare decisisto stand by things decidedcommon-law
- The doctrine that courts follow their own and higher courts' previous decisions.
- See also:precedentratio-decidendi
- Subsidiarityconstitutionalinternational
- The principle that decisions should be taken at the lowest effective level of government.
- See also:federalismproportionality
T
- Treatyinternational
- A binding international agreement between states or international organisations.
- See also:jus-cogensmonism
U
- Ultra viresbeyond the powerscommon-law
- Action taken outside the legal authority conferred on a body.
- See also:judicial-reviewnatural-justice
- Universal jurisdictioninternational
- Jurisdiction over grave international crimes regardless of where they occurred or the nationality of those involved.
- See also:jus-cogenstreaty