ISIELT Lecture 3.

2:

English, Latin and other Terms

 Black’s Law Dictionary
 Md Abdul Hamid, Ain Kosh
 Abatement: Termination of a suit on the death of a party unless his/her
successor is joined as a party within 90 days from the death.
 Abetment: Enticing other to commit crime(s).
 Abettor: One who abets.
 Ab initio (Latin): From the very beginning (ab= from, initio =beginning)
 Absconder: One who hides himself after the service of summons and warrant
or after enlargement on bail.
 Actus reus (guilty act) and mens rea (guilty mind). These are two elements of
a crime. Example: A intended (mens rea) to kill B and shot him dead (actus
reus).
 Accused: One against whom criminal case is brought.

 Acquittal: Releasing the accused of the accusation.

 Adult: Person of 18 years of age.
 Adultery/fornication: Illegal sexual intercourse.
 Ad valorem court fee: Fees payable to the Government in proportion to the
value of the subject matter of the suit, for example, according to the amount
claim in a money suit, according to the market value of moveable property
other than money on the date of presenting the suit (section 7, the Court-Fees Act
1870)
 Ad interim (in the meantime/for the time being). Example: An ad interim
injunction has been issued by the court upon request of the plaintiff until the
interim (temporary) injunction is issued after hearing both sides.
 Ad hoc (temporary; purpose-based). Example: An ad hoc committee was formed
to revise the syllabus.
 Advocate: One who is qualified to appear before the court and
argue for other(s).
 Affidavit: A written statement made under oath before a legal
authority (a Magistrate or Notary Public) that it is true.
 Alamat: Things seized by the police in relation to a criminal case
for presentation before the court.
 A fortiori (for stronger reason). Example: A died on 1st January,
therefore, a fortiori, A did not murder B on 3rd January.”
 Alias (otherwise known as). Example: Dennis Rader alias
BTK ("bind, torture, kill") is an American serial killer.
 Amicus curiae (friend of court to give expert view on leave of motion or by
mutual consent of parties or by invitation of the Appellate Court). Example:
The Supreme Court has appointed four senior lawyers (Rokonuddin Mahmud,
AF Hasan Arif, Abdur Rezak Khan and Monsurul Hoque Chowdhury) as amici
curiae to take their expert opinions on whether life imprisonment means jail
until death. (https://www.newagebd.net/article/69816/sc-appoints-four-
amici-curiae-for-expert-opinions
 Arrest: Capture by the police with or without warrant.
 Assault: Physical gesture (with or without verbal words) to attack someone.
 Battery: When physical attack is made.
 Bail: Temporary release of an accused or prisoner on guarantee of person or
bond (Bail Bond) by the accused or prisoner.
 Bail Bond: An agreement by a criminal defendant to appear for trial or pay a
sum of money set by the court.
 Benami transaction: Purchase of property by one person in the name of
another.
 Bona fide (in good faith/genuine/in absence of fraud). Example: X , as a bona
fide purchaser, buys the car without the knowledge of its being stolen by the
seller. (Mala fide (in bath faith/ingenuine). Example: A thief is a mala fide
possessor of the stolen things.)
 Breach of contract: When terms and conditions of a contract are violated.
 Cause of action: The cause for the case.
 Cause list: Cases to be heard by the court
 Complaint: Allegation against commission of an offence.
 Compromise of suit: Settlement of suit by agreement of parties.
 Conclusive proof: Unquestionable proof of something, e.g., visa stamp on
travel document at the port of arrival; legitimacy of a child born during a
wedlock.
 Thank you