In general, ex parte refers to something that benefits a party in a legal case. This is usually a decision made in favour of one party without waiting for the opinion of the other party. Ex parte may also refer to inappropriate contact with a party or judge, such as meetings with the party or judge without the presence of a lawyer for the opposing party. An amicus curiae refers to a person who is not a party to a particular legal case, but who assists the court by offering information, expertise, or other important ideas relevant to the issues in the case. This information is usually given in the form of an amicus curiae letter and has no legal value; Rather, it is intended to provide additional perspective or information to support one side of a legal argument in a particular case. Hello – maybe a phonetic pronunciation can be provided for Latin terms? Thanks for the page. The following Latin legal terms are commonly encountered during your 1L year. Therefore, you should make an effort to familiarize yourself with them now and save yourself from stress later. I have a British legal opinion from 1917 that uses the phrase “oy-pres” as in: “A scheme for the application oy-pres of the proceeds and of the endowment fund”. If a non-party to a proceeding has an interest in the case (or law) before the court, the non-party may ask the court for permission to file a friend of the court brief. An amicus curiae brief has no formal legal weight, but the non-party`s hope is that the argument will help the court resolve the issue based on its reasoning or legal perspective.

Habeas corpus refers to several common law orders made to bring a party before a court or judge. The U.S. Constitution also gives citizens the right to file a writ of habeas corpus to protect themselves from unlawful detention. It is important to learn these legal terms because during your time in law school, you will not only need to understand important Latin phrases, but you will also encounter these terms throughout your legal career. While there are many important Latin legal phrases you should be aware of, below we have selected some of the most important ones that a 1L student can become familiar with. It is a Latin term used in health and safety law, but I do not remember it. This means that the person should have learned this as they grow up. For example, parents teach their children how to cross the street, so someone shouldn`t be able to complain if they go out on the street without looking (or with their eyes closed) and get hit by a car. Can you please tell me what this Latin phrase is? A court decision in a previous case with facts and points of law similar to a dispute currently pending in court. Judges generally “follow precedents,” that is, they use principles established in previous cases to decide new cases that have similar facts and raise similar legal issues.

A judge will disregard precedents if a party can prove that the previous case was ill-decided or that it differs significantly from the current case. Lawyers are appointed by the “ad litem” court for claims. These appointments are generally reserved for parties who have a legal interest or are involved in the case but are unable to represent themselves, such as children or certain adults with disabilities. The study of the law and structure of the legal system A legal procedure to deal with the debt problems of individuals and companies; in particular, a case filed under one of the chapters of title 11 of the United States Code. This term refers to the process by which an appellate court reviews a case without reference to the legal findings or assumptions of the lower courts. In this case, the higher court hears the case “de novo” or completely from the new one without external notice. The right as set out in previous court decisions. Synonymous with precedent. Similar to the common law, which stems from tradition and judicial decisions. You may feel like Latin legal terms are everywhere when you start your first year of law school, but you don`t need to be overwhelmed by their presence. Learning these terms a few at a time and understanding when to apply them is helpful for your overall success in law school. Be sure to check out our list of essential terms and study the definitions of each new Latin legal term you encounter during your 1L year so you`re prepared to look like a pro when you answer the questions in class and complete your first assignments in law school.

The term “behind closed doors” literally means “in the rooms,” but is often used to refer to something that is examined completely privately. As a general rule, this term refers to matters in a court case that are conducted in private before the judge and outside the press and the public. For those entering criminal justice studies who are new to the use of Latin legal terms, the following list includes 11 of the most commonly used terms, their definitions, and how they are most commonly used. The definitions come from Law Teacher and Merriam-Webster. John Passmore is the editor of a legal publisher in Houston, Texas. He received his B.A. from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and his J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. John and his wife, Rebecca, enjoy drinking coffee and pursuing their one-year-old daughter, four-year-old son, and standard poodle named Sebastian.

A court appoints an ad litem lawyer to represent those who have a legal interest in a case but cannot represent themselves, such as children or adults with disabilities.