180+ Legal Maxims For CLAT 2026: Commonly asked Maxims

Absoluta sententia expositore non indiget: An absolute judgment needs no expositor

Abundans cautela non nocet: Abundant caution does no harm

Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale:  An accessory does not draw, but follows its principal

Accessorius sequitur: One who is an accessory to the crime cannot be guilty of a more serious crime than the principal offender.

Ab initio: From the beginning

Actus Curiae Neminem Gravabit : An Act of the Court shall prejudice no man or Court Actions could be heavy.

Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea: The intent and act must both concur to constitute the crime

Audi Alterem Partem: No man shall be condemned unheard.

Actori incumbit onus probandi: The burden of proof lies on the plaintiff

Actus Reus: A guilty deed or act 

Amicus curiae: A friend of the court

Audi alteram partem: Hear the other side

Ad hoc: For this purpose only

Benignae faciendae sunt interpretationes chartarum, ut res magis valeat quam pereat: Liberal constructions and interpretations are different, so they have an effect rather than fail.

Boni judicis est ampliare jurisdictionem: It is the part of a good judge to enlarge his jurisdiction, i.e. remedial authority

Bona fide: In good faith.

Bona Vacantia: Goods without an owner or goods on which there’s no claim of ownership.

Boni judicis lites dirimere est: It is the duty of a good judge to prevent litigation.

Bis dat qui cito dat: He gives twice who gives quickly

Caveat: A caution registered with the public court to indicate to the officials that they are not to act in the matter mentioned in the caveat without first giving notice to the caveator.

Caveat actor: Let the doer beware.

Caveat emptor: Let the buyer beware.

Caveat venditor: Let the seller beware.

Certiorari: A writ by which orders passed by an inferior court is quashed.

Communis hostis omnium: They are common enemies of all. The common enemy of everyone. Read with section 4(2) of IPC.

Corpus: Body.

Corpus delicti: The facts and circumstances constituting a crime and Concrete evidence of a crime, such as a corpse (dead body).

Cusjus est dare ejus est disponere: He who has a right to give has a right to dispose of the gift.

De Facto: Existing in actuality, especially when contrary to or not established by law.

Dominus Litis: Owner of riot

Donatio Mortis Causa: A gift in anticipationof death.

Damnum sine injuria: Damage without legal injury.

Debitum in praesenti, solvendum in futuro: Debt in present, to be paid in Future.

De bonis asportatis: Of goods carried away.

De bonis non administratis – Of goods not administered.

De die in diem – From day to day.

De jure – In accordance with the law.

De novo – Starting afresh.

Debile fundamentum fallit opus: Where there is a weak foundation, the work fails.

Debita sequuntur personam debitoria: Debts follow the person of the debtor.

Debitor non praesumitur donare: A debtor is not presumed to make a gift.

Dies Dominicus non est juridicus: Sunday is not a day in law.

Discretio est discernere per legem quid sit justum: Discretion is to discern through law what is just.

Doli incapax: Incapable of crime.

Dominium: Ownership.

Dubitante: Doubting the correctness of the decision.

Ex injuria jus non oritur: Law (or right) does not arise from injustice

Estoppel: Prevented from denying.

Ex gratia: As favour.

Ex officio: Because of an office held.

Ex parte: Proceedings in the absence of the other party.

Ex post facto: Out of the aftermath, or After the fact.

Fatum: Beyond human foresight.

Ei incumbit probatio qui: The onus of proving a fact rests upon the man

Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat: The burden of the proof lies upon him who affirms, not he who denies.

Error, qui non resistitur approbatur: An error not resisted is approved.

Et cetera: Other things of that type.

Ex cathedra: With official authority.

Fatum: An act or a deed

Firmior et potentior est operatio legis quam dispositio hominis: The operation of law is firmerand more powerful than the will of a man

Functus officio: No longer having power or jurisdiction. It also refers to an officer or agency whose mandate has expired, due to either the arrival of an expiry date or an agency having accomplished the purpose for which it was created.

Fraus est celare fraudem: It is a fraud to conceal a fraud.

Fraud est odiosa et non praesumenda: Fraud is odious(read: extreme offense) and is not to be presumed.

Falsa demonstratio non nocet:  A false description does not vitiate.

Fatetur facinus qui judicium fugit: He who flees judgment confesses his guilt.

Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas: Happy is he who has been able to understand the causes of things

Felonia implicatur in qualibet proditione: Felony is implied in every treason

Festinatio justitiae est noverca infortunii: The hurrying of justice is the stepmother of misfortune

Fructus naturales: Vegetation which grows naturally without cultivation.

Generale nihil certum implicat: A general expression implies nothing certain.

Generalis regula generaliter est intelligenda: a general rule is to be genrally understood.

Generalia praecedunt, specialia sequuntur : Things general precede, things special follow.

Generalia specialibus non derogant: Things general do not derogate from things special.

Habeas Corpus: You have the body.

Ipse Dixit: He himself said it.

Injuria sine damno: Violation of a legal right without causing any harmIgnorantia juris non-excusat: ignorance of the law excuses not or Ignorance of the law excuses no one. In other words, A person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely because one was unaware of its content.

Injuria sine damno: Injury without damage.

Ipso facto: By the mere fact

In Camera: In private

In promptu: In readiness.

In lieu of: Instead of

In personam: A proceeding in which relief I sought against a specific person.

Innuendo: Spoken words that are defamatory because they have a double meaning.

In status quo: In the present state.

Leges Posteriores Priores Contrarias Abrogant - Later laws repeal earlier laws inconsistent therewith.

Lex Non Cogit Ad Impossiblia - The law does not compel a person to do that which he cannot possibly perform. 

Locus Standi - The right of a party to appear and be heard before a court.

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

Nemo dat quod non habet: No one can give what he does not have

Noscitur a sociis:  A word is known by the company it keeps

Mandamus - A writ or order that is issued from a court of superior juris diction that commands an inferior tribunal/ court to perform, or refrain from performing, a particular act, the performance of which is required by law as an obligation.

Judex est lex loquens: A judge is the law speaking

Judex non potest esse testis in propira causa: A judge cannot be witness in his own cause.

Judex non potest injuriam sibi datam punire: A judge cannon punish a wrong done to himself.

Judiciis posterioribus fides est adhibenda: Faith must be given to later decisions.

Judicis est judicare secundum allegata et probata: It is the duty of a judge to decide according to the allegations and the proofs.

Judicium non debet esse illusorium, suum effectum habere debet: A judgment ought not to be illusory; it ought to have its proper effect.

Legibus sumptis desinentibus legibus naturae utendum est: When laws imposed by the State fail, we must use the laws of nature.

Lex aliquando sequitur aequitatem: The law sometimes follows equity.

Lex citius tolerare vult privatum damnum quam publicum malum: The law would rather tolerate a private injury than a public evil.

Lex dabit remedium: The law will give a remedy.

Lex dilationes abhorret: The law abhors delays.

Major continet in se minus The greater contains the less.

Mala fide: In bad faith.

Mala grammatica non vitiat chartam: Bad grammar does not vitiate a deed.

Mala in se: Bad in themselves.

Nemo bis punitur pro eodem delicto: Nobody can be twice punished for the same offence.

Nemo plus juris transferre ad alium potest quam ipse habet: No one can transfer to another a larger right than he himself has.

Nemo poest facere per alium, quod per se non potest: No one can do through another what he cannot do himself.

Nemo prohibetur defensionibus uti: No one is forbidden to make use of several defenses.

Nemo punitur pro aliento delicto: No one is punished for the crime of an other.

Novation: Transaction in which a new contact is agreed by all parties to replace an existing contract.

Nemo debet essc judex in propria causa: No one should be the judge in his own case.

Non est factum: It is not his deed

Non est informatus: He is not informed.

Non facias malum ut inde veniat bonum: You shall not do evil that good may come of it.

Non sequitur: An inconsistent statement.

Obiter Dicta: Reason for being a part of the judgement.

Omne sacramentum debet esse de certa scientia: Every oath ought to be of certain knowledge.

Omnia delicta in aperto leviora sunt:  All crimes (committed) in the open are (considered) lighter.

Omnia praesumuntur contra spoliatorem: All things are presumed against a wrongdoer.

Optima legum interpres est consuetudo: The best interpreter of laws is custom.

Pari passu: With an equal step; side by side; at the same rate or on an equal footing.

Per curiam: By the court.

Prima facie: On the face of it.

Pro rata: In proportion.

Post mortem: After death,

Pacta sund servanada: Treaties are legally binding.

Par delictum: Equal fault.

Pari passu: On an equal footing.

Partus sequitur ventrem: The offspring follows the mother.

Pater est quem nuptiae demonstrant: The father is he whom the marriage points out.

Quantum meruit: The right amount what one deserves.

Quaeitur: The question is raised.

Quantum: Amount

Qui facit per alium facit per se: He who acts through another is acting through himself.

Quid pro quo: Something for something or something in return.

Quo warranto: By what authority. A writ calling upon one to show under what authority he holds or claims a public office.

Qui non habet potestatem alienandi habet necessitatem retinendi: He who has not the power of alienating is under the necessity of retaining.

Qui non improbat, approbat: He who does not disapprove, approves.

Quia malitia supplet actatem: malice makes up for age

Quod per ma non possum nec per alium: What I cannot do through myself, I cannot do through another.

Quod vanum et inutile est lex non requirit: The law does not require what is in vain and useless.

Res: Matter, affair, thing, circumstance.

Res Judicata: A matter already judged.

Ration Decidendi: The rule of law on which a judicial decision is based.

Re: In the matter of.

Recognition is the greatest motivator: Agnitio est maioribus motivator

Reprobata pecunia leberat solventem: Money refused releases the debtor.

Res gestae: Things done.

Res integra: A matter untouched by decision.

Res nulis: Nobody s property.

Respondeat superior: Let the principal answer.

Rex non potest peccare: The King can do no wrong.

Rex nunquma moritur: The King never dies.

Rex quod injustum est facere non potest: The King cannot do what is unjust.

Salus populi est suprema lex: The safety of the people is the supreme law.

Sine die: With no appointed date for resumption.

Sciens: Knowingly.

Scienter: Knowingly.

Scire facias: That you cause to know.

Scribere est agere: To write is to act.

Se defendendo: In self-defence.

Status quo: Current state of things.

Sine qua non: Without which nothing

Suo Motu: On its own motion.

Sublato fundamento cadit opus: The foundation being removed, the structure falls.

Suggestio falsi: The suggestion of something which is false.

Terra firma: Solid grounds.

Transit terra cum onoera: The land passes with its burden.

Talis qualis: Such as it is.

Testamenta latissimam interpretationem habere debent: Testaments ought to have the broadest interpretation.

Traditio loqui chartam facit: Delivery makes a deed speak.

Ubberime fide: In utmost good faith

Ubi jus ibi remedium: Wherever there is a right, there is a remedy/For every wrong there is a remedy.

Ubi non est principalis, non potest esse accessorius: Where there is no principal, there can be no accessory.

Ubi nullum matrimonium, ibi nulla dos es: Where there is no marriage, there is no dower.

Utile per inutile non vitiatur: What is useful is not vitiated by the useless.

Verba debent intelligi cum effectu: Words should be understood with effect.

Vigilant non dormientibus jura subveniunt: The laww serve the vigilant and not the one who sleeps.

Vice versa: In reverse.

Volenti non fit injuria: Volantarily consenting to injury upon oneself negetivates the claim regarding the same.

Vox populi: Voice of the people. or the opinion of the majority of the people.

Vi et armis: With the force and arms.

Via antiqua via est tuta: The old way is the safe way.

Vide: See.

Voluntas reputatur pro facto: The will is taken for the deed.

Vox populi: Voice of the people.

Waiver – Voluntarily giving up a right or a condition.

Also read:

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