Latin - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition latin

Definition :

Latin, the language of the ancient Romans. There are three sorts of law Latin: (1) Good Latin, allowed by the grammarians and lawyers. (2) False or incongruous Latin, which in times past would abate original writs; though it would not make void any judicial writ, declaration, or plea, etc.

(3) Words of art, known only to the sages of the law, and not to grammarians; called lawyers'Latin.

English superseded Latin as the courts' language by virtue of 4 Geo. 2, c. 26.