Bisdak Words

Foreign Terminologies used in Law or Legal News

Let’s talk about familiar words but not sure if we understand it. We commonly hear it in the news, court proceedings, Laws and Articles, etc. Let’s put it here in one place so we could easily reference it.

1. Acquitted – free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty.

2. Convicted – having been declared guilty of a criminal offense by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge.

3. Default – In law, default generally means the failure to fulfill a legal obligation or duty. This can encompass various situations, such as failing to pay a debt, failing to appear in court, or failing to meet contractual obligations.

4. Status Quo – The current state of affairs or the existing situation being debated.

5. Magna Carta – Magna Carta is a cornerstone of the individual liberties that we enjoy, and it presents an ongoing challenge to arbitrary rule. Check this Magna Carta in the Philippines from Office Gazette. (In short, mga katungod)

6. Force Majeure – fortuitous event, beyond control like floods or typhoons. (Mga kakulian nga dili mapugngan)

7. Carpe Diem – a word originating from the Latin language meaning “seize the day”! Was a phrase used by the Roman poet Horace to express the idea that one should enjoy life while one can. (I enjoy lang ang kinabuhi samtang buhi pa)

8. Lorem Ipsum – the filler or placeholder text that typically demonstrates the font and style of a text in a document or visual demonstration – (temporary nga texts nga gibutang para maporma or ma visualize ang layout sa drawing or sa presentation)

9. En banc – refers to a session where all the judges of a court, rather than a smaller panel, hear and decide a case.

10. Erratum –  In legal terms, errata (plural of erratum) refers to a list of errors or corrections to a previously filed or published legal document, such as a contract, deposition transcript, or court filing.