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COMMONLY USED LEGAL WORDS
Absurdity So unreasonable as to be ridiculous
Acrimonious Bitterness or harshness of manner or speech
Adduce To give as a reason for proof
Alleviating Relieve
Ameliorated To make better
Annuity Annul, to void
Articulate Able to speak clearly
Axiom A universal truth
Behooves To be incumbent upon, to need.
Capricious Sudden change
Cavalier Casual, arrogant
Chattel A movable item of personal property
Coalesce To unite in a single body
Cognizable That which can be known or perceived
Collateral Attack An attempt to challenge a judgment in another legal forum.
Collateral Estoppel The matter has been decided.
Conterminous Boundary. Having a common boundry.
Credulity Tending to believe, credulous
De - minimis Concerning trifles
Dilatory Causing delay
Draconian Very severe or harsh.
Emphasized To give emphasis to, stress
Empirical Based on experiment or experience
Endeavor Honest attempt
Erudition Learning acquired by studying and reading
Eschew To advocate
Espouse To shun, avoid
Estoppel A bar that stops a plea
Exigent Calling for immediate action or attention
Ex‑parte From one side
Explicit Clearly stated or shown
Frivolous Of little value
Gratuitous Uncalled for
Idiosyncratic One's own view, peculiarity
Inexorable That which cannot be altered or checked
Inimical Hostile, in opposition to
Invidious Such as to incite ill will
Invoked To call on, to resort to
Linked Anything that connects
Malaise A vague feeling of discomfort
Matrix Womb, from within
Meritorious Deserving regard
Microcosm Regarded as world in miniature
Modicum Small amount
Myopic Short sightedness
Mystified To puzzle or perplex
Negate To make ineffective
Nihilistic General rejection of customary beliefs
Objectivity Independent of the mind
Onerous Oppressive
Penumbras A surrounding region where something exists to a lesser
degree.
Pernicious Causing great injury
Polemical Attack on the opinion of others
Precedential Decision to be followed by a lower court
Prejudice A preconceived, usually unfavorable idea
Progeny Offspring
Promulgate To make known officially
Quixotic Romantically idealistic
Redounded Come back, react
Res Judicata The case has already been adjudicated and cannot be re-
litigated
Ridiculous Absurd
Rudimentary Slight beginning
Scintilla The least trace
Sham Something false or fake
Smacked A small amount, trace
Standing One who has a right to be a party to the litigation
Static At rest, inactive
Stigma Mark of disgrace
Stigmatize To mark with a stigma
Subterfuge Plan to evade, something different
Succor To help in time of need
Syllogistic A formal argument consisting of a major and a minor
premise and a conclusion which must logically be true
Tangential Touching upon
Unambiguous Clear, precise
Unpersuasive Not having the power to persuade
Usufruct The legal right of using and enjoying the fruits or profits of
something belonging to another
Vehement Strong feelings
Vehicle A means of communication, thought
Venire From within a jury will be selected
Vindicate To clear from criticism or blame
Vitiate To spoil, corrupt, pervert
Vociferous Noisy, clamorous
Voyeur One that has excessive interest in sex
Zealously Fervent, enthusiastic
LEGAL LATIN
Ab initio From the beginning
Ad damnum To the damage ‑ refers to the damages of the plaintiff
Ad hoc For this ‑ for a particular purpose
Ad infinitum To go on indefinitely
Ad interim In the meantime
Ad nauseam To the point of disgust
A fortiori By the stronger reason ‑ all the more
Amicus curia Friend of the court
A priori From what is before
Arguendo For arguments sake
Bona vacantia Property with no apparent legal owner.
Coram nobis Before ourselves ‑ to seek review in the same court
Corpus delicti The body of the crime/victim
Cui bono Who will profit by this action.
Defacto Something that is "in fact"
Dehors Out of, without, foreign to the record
De jure By right ‑ by law
De nova Again, over, anew
Duces tecum You will bring with you
Eo nomine Under that name
Et al And others (et alii)
Ex abundanti cautela Out of an abundance of caution
Ex facie From the face, apparently
Ex officio From or by virtue of the office
Ex parte From or in the interest of one side only
Ex post facto After the fact
I.e. That is (id est)
In camera In a room ‑ usually something that is heard in private
In forma pauperis Not able to pay the fees. Not liable for the cost.
In limine At the beginning.
In pari delicto In equal fault ‑ equal in guilt
In personam Against the person ‑ against a specific person
In re In the matter of ‑ usually when there are no opposing parties
Rem Against the thing ‑ against a thing rather than its owner
Infra Refers to a later section of text.
Inter alia Amongst others ‑ among other things
Ipse dixit He said it himself ‑ a bare assertion
lpso facto By the fact itself
Mandamus We command
Mens rea Criminal intent
Nolo prosequi Record entry indicating that party will not proceed any further
Nolo contendere I will not contest it
Non compos mentis Not of sound mind ‑ insane
Nunc pro tunc Acts allowed to be done after the time they should be done
Onus prbandi The burden of proof.
Ore tenus By word of mouth
Pendente lite Pending or during suit
Per curiam By the court ‑ by the whole court rather than one judge
Prima facie On the first appearance
Pro forma As a matter of form
Pro se To represent oneself.
Pro hac vice Soley in this instance.
Quid pro quo One thing in return for another
Res judicata A matter already decided ‑ not to be decided again
Seriatim In the same sequence
Sine qua non A condition or thing that is essential or indispensable
Stare decisis To stand by decided matters ‑ prior case law
Sua sponte Of it's own accord
Sub judice The case at hand
Subpoena Writ commanding a person to appear in court to give
testimony
Subpoena duces tecum A writ commanding a person to bring specific papers to court
Supra Referring to an earlier section of text.
Ultra vires Beyond the powers
Vel non Or not
TYPES OF RELIEF
1) ANNOYANCE: A discomfort, a nuisance, vexation.
2) ANXIETY: Worry or uneasiness about what may happen
3) COMPENSATORY: The damages recoverable in satisfaction of, or in recompense for loss or injury sustained, including all damages except nominal damages, punitive, or exemplary damages.
4) DECLARATORY: A judgment which declares conclusively the rights and duties, Or the status, of the parties.
5) EXEMPLARY DAMAGES: Damages given as an enhancement of compensatory damages because of the wanton, reckless, malicious. or oppressive character of the acts complained of, and by way of punishment of the defendant and a deterrent to others.
6) HARASSMENT: To worry or torment.
7) INJUNCTIVE: A court order prohibiting or ordering a given action.
8) MENTAL ANGUISH: Mental suffering as distinguished from physical pain
9) MONETARY: Of money.
10) NOMINAL DAMAGES: An award to which the plaintiff is entitled, although he gives no evidence of any particular amount of loss, because the law infers damage from the breach of an agreement or the invasion of a right.
11) PUNITIVE: Damages which are allowed as an enhancement of compensatory damages because of the wanton. reckless, malicious, or oppressive character which the plaintiff complains. See Smith v Wade, 461 US 30, 75 L.Ed.2d 63‑2, 103 SCt 1625 (1983).
