Criminal law often turns on a simple but important distinction: what a person did, and what that person intended or knew at the time. The Latin term actus reusâŠ
Res ipsa loquitur is a Latin phrase meaning âthe thing speaks for itselfâ. In negligence law, it describes a situation where an accident is so unusual, and soâŠ
The Latin phrase ultra vires means âbeyond the powersâ. In legal writing, it describes an act, decision, or rule made by a person or body that has exceeded theâŠ
Prima facie is one of the Latin expressions that has travelled far beyond the courtroom. It literally means âat first sightâ or âon its faceâ, and it describesâŠ
The Latin phrase ex post facto means âfrom after the factâ. In legal language, it describes a law or legal rule that operates backwards in time, affectingâŠ
A posteriori is a Latin expression meaning âfrom what comes afterâ. In philosophy, it describes knowledge or judgement formed from experience, observation,âŠ
Latin expressions have a curious way of slipping into modern conversation without anyone pausing to translate them. Phrases like "bona fide," "habeas corpus,"âŠ
The Latin expression sui generis travels across centuries and disciplines without losing its sharp edge. Roughly translated, it means "of its own kind" or "inâŠ
âSine qua nonâ is a Latin expression used to describe something absolutely necessary. Its literal meaning is âwithout which, notâ, while its practical sense isâŠ
Across every archaeological site that matters, the relationship between an artefact and the patch of ground holding it is treated as evidence in its own right.âŠ