Bona Vacantia
Denotes the absence of any known person entitled to the estate of a deceased person

Compos Mentis
OF SOUND MIND
Legally fit to conduct/defend proceedings

Duces Tecum
BRING WITH YOU
Order to produce document to court

Ex Gratia
AS A MATTER OF FAVOUR
An Ex Gratia payment would be awarded without the acceptance of any liability or blame

Forum Conveniens
AT A CONVENIENT PLACE
A Court having jurisdiction in a particular case

Habeas Corpus
PRODUCE THE BODY
A writ that directs a person to produce someone held in custody before the court

Ignorantia Juris non excusat
IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE
If committing an offence a guilty party cannot use as a defence the fact that they did so without knowledge that they were breaking the law

Ipso Facto
BY THE FACT
The reliance upon facts that together prove a point

Locus in quo
THE PLACE IN WHICH
During proceedings may be used as reference to subject matter i.e. scene of accident

Mens Rea
GUILTY MIND
The intention to commit an offence whilst knowing it to be wrong

Nota Bene (nb)
NOTE WELL
An abbreviation denoting that the reader of an article should make a particular note of the article mentioned.

Prima Facie
FIRST SIGHT
Prima Facie evidence would be considered sufficient to prove a case unless disproved - if no Prima Facie evidence can be offered there is no case to answer

Res Ipsa Loquitur
THE THING SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
An event that has occurred which, if the subject of litigation, would not require an onus of proof by the plaintiff because of the obvious negligence of the defendant

Subpoena ad Testificum
TO PRODUCE EVIDENCE
A writ directed to a person commanding him/her, under a penalty, to appear before a Court and give evidence

Ultra Vires (also See Intra Vires)
BEYOND THE POWER
An act that falls outside or beyond the jurisdiction of the court

Intra Vires
WITHIN THE POWER OF
An act that falls within the Jurisdiction of the Court