Latin for Lawyers

LITE PENDENTE

advising the world, including purchasers and encumbrancers, that title to a property or asset is in litigation and that they will be bound by the terms of the court’s judgment. LITE PENDENTE [L. lis, litis / a legal controversy + pendere / to be sus pended] Pending the outcome of the litigation or suit. Matters the resolution of which depends on the outcome of a lawsuit (e.g., title to property whose ownership is in dispute) are lite pendente . The alternative form pendente lite is more commonly used. See PENDENTE LITE LITERAE PATENTES [L. littera, litera / any letter of the alphabet; also a let ter or communication + pateo, patere / to lie open] Open letters. Letters Patent. LITERAE SCRIPTAE MANENT The written word lasts forever. LITIGATE [L. litigare / to resort to the law; to quarrel or dispute] To initiate or carry on a lawsuit or other judicial controversy; to seek judicial relief. To sue or be sued. LITIGIOUS [L. litigare ] To have a propensity or eagerness to bring or engage in law suits. To be fond of resorting to the courts. Also, a matter or issue contested in a law suit. LITIS AESTIMATIO [L. lis, litis / a lawsuit + aestimare / to appraise, esti mate, assign value to] The measure of damages in a law suit. LITTORAL [L. litoralis / of or connected to the shore] The area between the low — and high — water mark of land abutting waters such as lakes, seas and oceans. Also, rights affecting the use of properties along or on such land. LOCAL [L. locus / place, neighborhood, region] Limited in space or location. Relating to a particular and limited place. Con fined to a relatively small and definable area. Characteristic of a particular place. Local law is the law of a particular place or state without reference to the law of any other place or state; the study of the interrelationship of one local law with another is called the study of conflicts of law. Also, in labor law, a local is a union organization limited to a particular area or a particular

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