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A Helpful Guide to Legal Latin Terms

For those of you without a classics background

lex retro non agit – Lex is not aging well

stare decisis – to stare decisively

mos pro lege – legit moshing professional

ex turpi causa non oritur actio – he was a twerp who never listened, so I broke up with him

res publica – public toilet

de minimis non curat lex – it is not cheap to fix a Lexus

audi alteram partem – on the other hand, we have parts for an Audi

pro bono – for Paul Hewson

nemo judex in sua causa – the judge in his case is a clownfish

animus possidendi – your pet is possessed

jus sanguinis – juice for vampires

non compos mentis – you can’t compost Mentos

videlicet – incredibly tasty

ex post – a letter from your ex

ex parte – a party you have when you break up with someone

ex ante – the ex-wife of your aunt or uncle

ab extra – love-handles

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