Legal Vocabulary

Word or Phrase	Meaning
Respondeat supieror	The employer is responsible.
Vitiate	Spoil or impair the efficiency or validity of.
Conveyance	The legal process of transferring property from one owner to another.
in vacuo	in a vacuum; in isolation without reference to related evidence.
Arrears	Money that a party fails to pay when due.
res judicata	A matter that has been adjudicated by a competent court and may not be pursued further by the same parties. A matter settled by law.
Indenture	A formal legal agreement.
Gravamen	The essence or most serious part of a complaint or accusation.
in futuro	At a future time.
inter se	Between or amongst themselves.
supra	Used to refer to someone or something mentioned above or earlier.
venire facias de novo (venire de novo)	A new trial delivered because original was a mistrial, or procedurally incorrect.
Preclude	Prevent from happening; make imposible.
	Depending on chance or dice or random.
Nominal	In name only, small.
stare decicis	Horizontal precedence.
Forebearance	The action of refraining from exercising a legal right, especially that of enforcing the payment of a debt. Interest is included usually.
Non-assumpsit	A defense stating evidence which disaffirms the obligations of a contract.
Adduce	Cite as evidence.
Inter alia	Among other things.
locus sigilli	The place of the seal (in terms of making a contract official, archaic now).
alias summonses	A summons issued when the original has not produced its effect because it was defective in substance or procedure, and when issued, supercedes original summons.
Summons	An order to appear before a judge or magistrate.
quantum meruit	As much as deserved (in determning recovery value in contracts). SERVICES
quantum valebat	As much as deserved (in determning recovery value in contracts). GOODS
Peremptory	Not open to appeal or challenge.
Intestate	A person who has died before making a will.
Tacit	Understood or implied without being stated.
Assumpsit	Evidence affirming the obligations of a contract.
Restitution	Compensation for loss.
Perdurable	Enduring continuously; imperishable.
Ubi ius remedium	Wherever there is a right, there is a remedy.
per se	By itself or themselves; intrinsically.
Tenuous	Very weak or slight.
Prima facie	Accepted as correct until proved otherwise.
a fortiori	By the stronger (reason).
Attenuate	Weakened in force or effect; unnaturally thin (in a wholly separate concept.
Ameliorate	To make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.
Appurtenance	An accessory or other item associated with a particular activity or style of living.
Demurrer	A pleading stating that even if the evidence is true, the evidence does not constitute a legal basis for a claim or suit.
Aver	To allege or state as a fact in support of a plea.
Novation	The substitution of a new contract in place of an old one; Relieved of original obligations of contract after modification.
Estoppel in pais	A right arising from acts which have induced a change of position in accordance with the real or apparent intention of the party against whom they are alleged.
Estoppel in pais – Equitable estoppel	Where a person makes a representation which another relies upon, the person making the representation cannot deny the truth of the fact represented.
Estoppel in pais – Promissory estoppel	An alternative to the method of Consideration. Renders promises lacking consideration and or other elements necessary for legal enforcement, enforcable.
Perpescuious	Plain to understanding.
Mitigate	To make less severe; to lesson the gravity of.
Enjoin	To prohibit someone from performing by issuing an injunction.
(Easement) Appurtenant	Belonging to; pertinant to. An easement attached to the land.
Puissant	Having great power or influence.
Abrogate	Repeal or do away with.
ex jure naturae	By the law of nature.
damnum absque injuria	Loss without injury.