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Legal Latin

Created by VerticalDancer

Fun Trivia : Quizzes : U.K. Law
Legal Latin game quiz
"Ahh nothing like a few Latin phrases to make the law sound important! This quiz addresses a few of the phrases encountered in first year law (and translations are not always exactly literal)."

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  



1. One of the basic tenets of criminal liability is "actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea". What does this mean in English?
    The act is not guilty unless the mind is guilty
    The guilty mind and guilty act are the same thing
    If a person does a criminal act, he will be found guilty
    A guilty act is not required in criminal law


2. What is the "actus reus"?
    The guilty mind
    The guilty act
    A feeling of guilt
    Moral guilt


3. This is a maxim of tort law: "Ex turpi causa non oritur actio".
    Friends who commit crimes together cannot be tried together
    The victim of a crime has a right to sue the perpetrator in tort
    A person cannot pursue a cause of action if it arises out of his own guilty act
    A person cannot be guilty if he has no reason to commit the crime


4. What does the the "sine qua non" rule, in terms of causation, mean?
    Legal causation
    The "but for" rule, or factual causation
    A break in the chain of causation
    Causation does not apply to some crimes


5. What is the "ratio decidendi" in a judgment?
    The non-binding part of the decision
    The part of the judgment in which the judge recites the facts of the case
    The irrelevant part of the decision
    The reasoning behind the decision


6. The doctrine of "stare decisis" underpins the common law system. What is "stare decisis"?
    The reasoning behind the decision
    To stand by what has gone before
    Parliament can overturn decided cases
    Courts must adhere to statutes in all of their decisions


7. Textbooks are always referring to "obiter dicta" (sometimes shortened to just dicta). What are "obiter dicta"?
    The arguments made by counsel in court
    The binding part of a judgment
    Things said by the way
    The discussion between judges in court


8. I love the phrase "doli incapax". What does it mean?
    An overruled decision
    Incapable of crime
    A new judge
    New law


9. Oops, the House of Lords has stated that a case heard in the Court of Appeal is "per incuriam". What did they mean?
    To bind all other courts
    To stand by what has gone before
    A case settled with a lack of care so that the decision is wrong
    A case decided on facts alone as no law exists in the area


10. Tort seems to be full of catchy Latin phrases - what does this one mean? "Volenti non fit injuria"
    Violence is never the answer
    A person must do an act willingly
    Consent is never a defence
    No injury is done to a willing victim


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Compiled Jun 28 12