⚖ SoapBox law
ConstitutionTreatiesCasesDocketsStatutesRegulationsPrivacy lawAppeals & writsYour rightsDoctrinesMaximsJudgesLawyersFile a complaintOversightDataLibrary

Maxims, axioms & idioms · a browsable collection

Legal maxims, political axioms, and the idioms that carry them into everyday argument — each with a plain-English gloss and where it comes from. We state what a maxim means and where it's from; we do not tell you it is right. Open any maxim to see the case law that cites or applies it — curated landmark cases plus a live search of the public record. The legal maxims cross-reference the same categories as our case law.

Legal maximsPolitical axiomsIdioms & mottosAll
Ignorantia juris non excusat legal · Latin
“Ignorance of the law excuses not”
You are bound by the law whether or not you know it exists.
Provenance: Roman-law maxim; standard in common-law systems.
Actus reus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea legal · Latin
“An act does not make one guilty unless the mind is also guilty”
Most crimes require both a wrongful act and a guilty mental state.
Provenance: Coke; foundational to Anglo-American criminal law.
Nemo judex in causa sua legal · Latin
“No one should be a judge in his own cause”
A decision-maker must not have a personal stake in the matter — the rule against bias.
Provenance: Natural-justice maxim; Dr. Bonham's Case (1610).
Audi alteram partem legal · Latin
“Hear the other side”
No one should be condemned unheard — the core of due process.
Provenance: Roman/natural-justice maxim.
Stare decisis legal · Latin
“To stand by things decided”
Courts follow prior rulings — the engine of case law.
Provenance: Common-law doctrine of precedent.
Respondeat superior legal · Latin
“Let the superior answer”
An employer is liable for torts an employee commits within the scope of employment (vicarious liability).
Provenance: Common-law agency doctrine.
Nulla poena sine lege legal · Latin
“No penalty without a law”
You can only be punished under a law that existed when you acted (anti-ex-post-facto).
Provenance: Enlightenment penal principle; Feuerbach.
Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat legal · Latin
“The burden of proof is on the one who asserts, not the one who denies”
The party making a claim must prove it.
Provenance: Roman law (Digest).
Res ipsa loquitur legal · Latin
“The thing speaks for itself”
Some accidents so obviously imply negligence that the fact of them is evidence.
Provenance: Byrne v. Boadle (1863).
De minimis non curat lex legal · Latin
“The law does not concern itself with trifles”
Courts won't act on trivial matters.
Provenance: Common-law maxim.
Habeas corpus legal · Latin
“That you have the body”
A court order requiring a jailer to justify holding a prisoner — the great writ against unlawful detention.
Provenance: English common law; U.S. Const. art. I, §9.
Cui bono legal · Latin
“To whose benefit?”
Ask who profits — a guide to motive.
Provenance: Cicero, quoting Cassius.
Fiat justitia ruat caelum legal · Latin
“Let justice be done though the heavens fall”
Justice must be done regardless of consequence.
Provenance: Roman maxim; Somerset v Stewart (1772).
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely political · English
Concentrated, unchecked power reliably degrades those who hold it — the case for checks and balances.
Provenance: Lord Acton, letter to Bishop Creighton, 1887.
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietam servitutem political · Latin
“I prefer dangerous liberty to peaceful servitude”
Freedom with risk beats safe subjection.
Provenance: Quoted by Thomas Jefferson (1787); attrib. Count Palatine.
Salus populi suprema lex esto political · Latin
“Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law”
The good of the public is the highest law — invoked for the state's police power.
Provenance: Cicero, De Legibus.
A little rebellion now and then is a good thing political · English
Periodic dissent keeps government honest.
Provenance: Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, 1787.
Sic semper tyrannis idiom · Latin
“Thus always to tyrants”
The motto of Virginia; a declaration against tyranny. (Historically also shouted by Booth at Lincoln's assassination — stated as fact, not celebrated.)
Provenance: Virginia state motto (1776).
Give me liberty, or give me death! idiom · English
Freedom is worth dying for — a Revolutionary rallying cry.
Provenance: Patrick Henry, 1775 (as later reconstructed).
No taxation without representation idiom · English
Government may not tax those it does not represent — a founding American grievance.
Provenance: American Revolution-era slogan.

More from case law · live search: “No taxation without representation”

Ohio Court of Appeals · 2016-06-14 · Published · cited 0× · 2016 Ohio 3428
[Cite as Carnes v. Ohio Dept. of Taxation, 2016-Ohio-3428.] IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO TENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT Jeffrey Carnes, : Appellant-Appellee, : No. 15AP-971 (C.P.C. No. 15CV-4044) v. :
Supreme Court of the United States · 1983-05-23 · Published · cited 884× · 76 L. Ed. 2d 129; 103 S. Ct. 1997; 461 U.S. 540; 1983 U.S. LEXIS 33; 51 U.S.L.W. 4583; 51 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1294
Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion of the Court. Appellee Taxation With Representation of Washington (TWR) is a nonprofit corporation organized to promote what it conceives to be the “public interest” in the area of federal *542taxation. It proposes to advocate its point of view before Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Judiciary. This case be
New Mexico Court of Appeals · 2012-08-28 · Published · cited 15× · 2012 NMCA 101; 2 N.M. 628
OPINION KENNEDY, Judge. {1} In this consolidated appeal, we address whether the Tax Administration Act’s (Act) provisions protecting the privacy of citizens’ tax information, together with Rule 11-502 NMRA, which provides an evidentiary privilege for records and returns that are required by law to be made, applies to exclude gross receipts tax returns and other related docu
Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · 1978-10-30 · Published · cited 9× · 585 F.2d 1219; 42 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6140; 1978 U.S. App. LEXIS 8105
FIELD, Senior Circuit Judge: The appellant, Taxation With Representation, Inc., (TWR), filed this action for the refund of $378.29 paid with respect to the tax periods 1973-1975 under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA). The complaint alleged that TWR is an educational or charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 19541
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York · 2013-06-06 · Published · cited 0× · 107 A.D.3d 1104; 967 N.Y.S.2d 447
Rose, J. Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Mc-Donough, J.), entered January 25, 2012 in Albany County, which, among other things, partially granted petitioners’ application, in a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78, to annul determinations of respondent Department of Taxation and Finance partially denying petitioner Kathleen M. Diina-Feldman’s Freedom of Information Law requests. In connection wit
Nevada Supreme Court · 2011-10-20 · Published · cited 20× · 127 Nev. 730; 265 P.3d 666; 127 Nev. Adv. Rep. 67; 2011 Nev. LEXIS 83
OPINION Per Curiam: In this appeal, we consider two issues regarding a taxpayer’s request for a refund from the Nevada Department of Taxation. First, we consider whether the Nevada Tax Commission improperly substituted its own judgment for that of an administrative law judge in reversing the judge’s determination that the taxpayer was entitled to a refund. Second, we consider whether the statut
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York · 2013-06-06 · Published · cited 0× · 107 A.D.3d 1104; 967 N.Y.S.2d 447
Rose, J. Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Mc-Donough, J.), entered January 25, 2012 in Albany County, which, among other things, partially granted petitioners’ application, in a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78, to annul determinations of respondent Department of Taxation and Finance partially denying petitioner Kathleen M. Diina-Feldman’s Freedom of Information Law requests. In connection wit
Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit · 1981-03-12 · Published · cited 169× · 646 F.2d 666; 207 U.S. App. D.C. 331; 7 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1448; 47 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1026; 1981 U.S. App. LEXIS 19366
HARRY T. EDWARDS, Circuit Judge: The issues raised by this appeal require this court’s consideration for the first time whether certain records of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may be withheld from public disclosure pursuant to Exemption 5 of the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5). Exemption 5 of the FOIA protects “inter-agency or intra-agency memorandum
District Court, District of Columbia · 1980-01-22 · Published · cited 5× · 485 F. Supp. 263; 45 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 622; 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10259
485 F.Supp. 263 (1980) TAXATION WITH REPRESENTATION FUND, Plaintiff, v. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, Defendant. Civ. A. No. 78-2304. United States District Court, District of Columbia. January 22, 1980. William A. Dobrovir, Washington, D.C., for plaintiff. John J. McCarthy, Donald J. Gavin, Michael J. Salem, Tax Division, Dept. of Justice, Washington, D.C., for
New Jersey Tax Court · 2014-02-21 · Published · cited 1× · 28 N.J. Tax 1
DeALMEIDA, P.J.T.C. This is the court’s opinion with respect to the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment. The central issue before the court is whether plaintiff, a wireless telecommunications provider, is entitled to a refund of approximately $32 million in sales tax it contends it erroneously collected from its customers on charges for Internet access services. The Director, Division of Taxation denied plaintiffs refu
New Mexico Court of Appeals · 2004-12-01 · Published · cited 19× · 104 P.3d 1104; 136 N.M. 713; 2005 NMCA 009
104 P.3d 1104 (2004) 136 N.M. 713 2005-NMCA-009 Vivian CORDOVA, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. STATE of New Mexico, TAXATION AND REVENUE, PROPERTY TAX DIVISION, Bernalillo County Treasurer's Office, W & P Real Estate, Inc., Defendants-Appellees. No. 23,625. Court of Appeals of New Mexico. December 1, 2004.
Hawaii Supreme Court · 2019-03-04 · Published · cited 14× · 436 P.3d 1155
RECKTENWALD, C.J., NAKAYAMA, McKENNA, POLLACK, AND WILSON, JJ. OPINION OF THE COURT BY POLLACK, J. *1157 This case is a consolidated appeal from twenty-nine General Excise Tax assessments levied by the Director of Taxation of the State of Hawai'i against five online
New Jersey Tax Court · 2011-01-04 · Published · cited 1× · 25 N.J. Tax 607
NARAYANAN, J.T.C. Plaintiff (“Labor Ready”) moves for summary judgment seeking declaratory relief from defendant’s notice that Labor Ready’s business activities would generally be subject to sales tax unless Labor Ready receives sales tax exemption certificates or the *610services were nontaxable or non-enumerated. Labor Ready claims it provides temporary labor servic
New Jersey Tax Court · 2009-05-15 · Published · cited 0× · 25 N.J. Tax 138
MENYUK, J.T.C. Plaintiffs Hainesport Township and Mount Laurel Township (collectively, the “Townships”) challenge orders of the Burlington County Board of Taxation (the “Board”) * directing the Townships to implement complete revaluations by September 30, 2009 to be effective for the 2010 tax year on the ground that the orders are invalid and void because the Board acted without a quorum. This issue originally came before th
New Jersey Tax Court · 2007-06-01 · Published · cited 0× · 23 N.J. Tax 421
KUSKIN, J.T.C. General Engines Company, Inc. has filed a motion seeking leave to appear as amicus curiae in this matter. For the reasons set forth below, I deny the motion but direct General Engines to file a summary judgment motion in accordance with the schedule for the filing of a summary judgment motion set forth in the Pretrial Order entered in this matter.1 The background t
Court of Appeals of Maryland · 2011-10-25 · Published · cited 42× · 30 A.3d 962; 422 Md. 544; 2011 Md. LEXIS 644
30 A.3d 962 (2011) 422 Md. 544 Charles MUSKIN, Trustee Trusts Created Under the Last Will and Testament of Israel Braverman v. STATE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS AND TAXATION. No. 140, September Term, 2010. Court of Appeals of Maryland. October 25, 2011. *964 Charles Muskin, Annapolis, MD, for Appellant.
New Jersey Tax Court · 2009-04-30 · Published · cited 0× · 24 N.J. Tax 599
DeALMEIDA, J.T.C. At issue is whether the Director, Division of Taxation, properly denied as untimely plaintiffs request for a refund of estate tax. For the reasons explained more fully below, the court concludes that plaintiff failed to present its refund request within the statutorily defined period for doing so. The Director’s final determination, therefore, must be upheld. I. Findinga of Fact
New Jersey Tax Court · 2005-06-13 · Published · cited 0× · 22 N.J. Tax 383
MENYUK, J.T.C. This matter comes before the court following the denial without prejudice of plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment. The motion sought to invalidate certain assessments of taxes for periods prior to June 1, 1998 on the ground that the assessments were made beyond the periods permitted by the relevant statutes of limitations for the assessment of tax deficiencies by the Division of Taxation (“Division”).
New Jersey Tax Court · 2008-02-11 · Published · cited 0× · 23 N.J. Tax 624
MENYUK, J.T.C. Plaintiff operates the website known as drugstore.com through which customers can purchase prescription drugs, over-the-coun*626ter medicines, and other items typically sold in a drugstore. The issue in this ease is whether defendant Director, Division of Taxation (“Director”) can require plaintiff, an entity that is admittedly physically present in New
New Jersey Tax Court · 2004-11-19 · Published · cited 0× · 21 N.J. Tax 528
KUSKIN, J.T.C. Plaintiff Chiron Corporation, a Delaware corporation with its corporate headquarters in California, has appealed assessments of corporation business tax (“CBT”) for tax years 1992, 1993, and 1994 imposed by the defendant Director of the New Jersey, Division of Taxation (“Director”) under the New Jersey Corporation Business Tax Act, N.J.S.A. 54:10A-1 to -41. Specifically, the appeal challenges the Direct
The whole world is watching idiom · English
Publicity as a check on state violence against protesters.
Provenance: Chicago, 1968 Democratic Convention protests.
Vox populi, vox Dei idiom · Latin
“The voice of the people is the voice of God”
Popular will carries great authority — though it is usually quoted against its original cautionary sense.
Provenance: Attrib. Alcuin (c. 800), who wrote it to WARN against trusting the crowd.