Bona Fide

Definition

Genuine, made or done in good faith, without intent to deceive. A bona fide purchaser is one who buys without knowing of any defect in the title. The phrase is the legal world's sincere nod that you really did mean it.

Example Usage

The court held that the buyer was a bona fide purchaser for value and kept the painting.

Origin

Latin, meaning 'in good faith.'

Source: Common legal Latin

Related Terms

Beginner

Heretofore

An archaic legal word meaning 'until now' or 'before this point,' still used in contracts to sound authoritative. It belongs to a tradition of drafting that prefers ceremony to clarity. Modern plain-language drafters have been trying to banish it for decades, with mixed results.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

preponderance of the evidence

The standard of proof in most civil cases, requiring only that something is more likely true than not—essentially 50.01% certainty. It's the legal system admitting that perfect knowledge is impossible, so probable knowledge will suffice.

⚖️ Legal

Beginner

informer

A person who snitches to authorities, or more charitably, one who shares information. The human equivalent of a security camera, but messier and more expensive.

⚖️ Legal

Beginner

rule

The law of the land—a regulation or guideline that everyone pretends to follow until it becomes inconvenient. Whether it's a straightedge on a page or a regulation in a contract, rules are society's way of keeping chaos at bay.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

detention

The legal holding pattern nobody wants to join—when authorities keep you cooling your heels pending trial or as punishment, because freedom must apparently wait. Basically, the court's way of saying 'don't go anywhere.'

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

allege

To make a formal claim or assertion, typically under oath, without having proven it yet—the legal equivalent of 'I'm pretty sure, but don't quote me.' Often used when someone wants to sound serious about an accusation.

⚖️ Legal

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