Collection of Legal maxims

1)Actus Reus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit ReaDefinition: Latin: conviction of a crime requires proof of a criminal act and intent. Actus reus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea: (Latin) an act does not make a defendant guilty without a guilty mind.

2) Dormiunt Aliquando Leges Nunquam Moriuntur. Although the laws sometimes sleep, they never die.

3) DOTI LEX FAVET; PRAEMIUM PUDORIS EST; IDEO PARCATUR Meaning 

Latin, meaning The law favors dower; it is the reward of chastity therefore let it be preserved.

4) “Quando aliquid prohibetur ex directo, prohibetur et per obliquum”

This maxim implies that “when anything is prohibited directly, it is also prohibited indirectly”. In common parlance, it is meant to be understood as “Whatever legislature can’t do directly, it can’t do indirectly”.

5) The Latin Maxim “construction ut res magis valeat quam pereat” implies that a statute or any enacting provision therein must be so construed as to make it effective and operative. The courts prefer construction which keeps the statute within the competence of the legislature.

6) Ignorantia Facti Excusat is a Latin legal maxim that means ignorance of a fact is an excuse. Any act done under a mistaken impression of a material fact is excused. Acts and contracts made under a mistake or an ignorance of a material fact are voidable. However ignorance of law is not an excuse.

7) Res Judicata Pro Veritate Accipitur is a legal maxim, used in India, with the following meaning: A thing adjudicated is received as the truth. A decision once rendered by a competent court on a matter in issue between the parties after a full enquiry should not be permitted to be agitated over again.

8) Ut Lite Pendente Nihil Innovetur is a legal maxim, used in India, with the following meaning: During a litigation nothing new should be introduced. The doctrine of lis pendens expressed in the maxim ‘ut lite pendente nihil innovetur’ has been statutorily incorporated in section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. A defendant cannot, by alienating property during pendency of litigation, venture into depriving the successful plaintiff of the fruits of decree.

9) Nemo est haeres viventis means no one is the heir of a living person. A person becomes an actual, complete heir of another only when the ancestor dies. Before a person can be an heir, his/her ancestor or person from who s/he inherits must be dead.

In accordance with the maxim, nemo est haeres viventis, the living children are only heirs expectant, and hence no one can take an estate under that designation while the ancestor is living.
10) Legal Definition of expressio unius est exclusio alterius

: a principle in statutory construction: when one or more things of a class are expressly mentioned others of the same class are excluded11) Noscitur a sociis Definition: Latin: that the meaning of a word may be known from accompanying words. ... Under the doctrine of noscitur a sociis, the meaning of questionable words or phrases in a statute may be ascertained by reference to themeaning of words or phrases associated with it.

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