Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

FETUS [L. pregnant, fertile] Fruitful, fertile; child-bearing. An unborn offspring or child. A developing human being beginning three months following conception. FIAT [L. facere (fieri) / to make or do] Let it be done. An official order, a command, a decree. The order of a judge or executive directing that some act be performed. An order by an authorative source requiring that something be done. FIAT JUSTITIA Let justice be done. FIAT UT PETITUR [L. facere + ut / how, as + petere / to ask for, beseech] Do what he asks. Let it be done according to his petition. FICTIO An assumption; a deception. A fiction. FICTIO CEDIT VERATI [L. fictio + cedere / to withdraw + veritas / truth] Fiction gives way before truth. FICTIO JURIS NON EST UBI VERITAS A legal fiction will not prevail over the truth. FIDEI COMMISSUM [L. fides / trust, confidence, reliance + commissum, pp., committere / to unite, connect, combine] Under the Civil Law, a bequest to a party with instructions to convey title to a third party or to utilize the property for a particular purpose. FIDELIS True, steadfast, loyal. Capable of being trusted or relied on (as in semper fide lis, always faithful, the motto of the U.S. Marines). FIDELITY [L. fidelis / faithful] The quality of being loyal or faithful. Allegiance; loyalty. A fidelity bond is an insurer’s indemnity to the insured against the dishonesty, defalcation, breach of trust or negligence of an employee or agent holding a position of trust. The policy or bond issued by the insurer is called fidelity guaranty insurance. FIDES Trust, confidence, reliance (related to FIDELIS, supra) used in bona fide, in

good faith; mala fides, in bad faith. See BONA FIDE; MALA FIDES

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