These Latin Maxims and Quotations have been excerpted from the Personal Notebook of W.H.A Hanschell, well known in his time as the 'Cobra of the Congo' because of his fearsome and flamboyant performances in Court. These quotations were part of his trademark persona and contributed to his legendary delivery style.
They remain embedded in the ethos of Hanschell and Company as a constant reminder of the classic legal style and firmly traditional commitment to the law on which the firm was founded.
- ex abundante cautela
- out of an abundance of caution
- Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale
- the accessory does not lead, but follows its principal
- actio personalis moritur cum persona
- a personal right of action dies with the person
- actus curiae nemonem gravabit
- an act of the court injures no one
- actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea
- the act itself does not constitute guilt unless done with a guilty intent
- allegans contraria non est audiendus
- contrary allegations are not to be heard
- caveat emptor; qui egmorare non debuit quod jus alienum emit
- Let the purchaser beware ; no one ought in ignorance to buy that which is the right of another
- certum est quod certum reddi protest
- that is certain which is able to be rendered certain
- consensus lollit errorem
- consent takes away error
- de minimis non curat lex
- of trifles the law does not concern itself
- ex dolo malo non oritur actio
- from fraud a right of action does not arise
- executio juris non habet injuriam
- the execution of the process of the law does no injury
- ex nudo pacto non oritur actio
- from a nude contract an action does not arise
- ignorantia facti excusat : ignorantia juris non excusat
- ignorance of the fact excuses : ignorance of the law does not excuse
