De Jure

Intermediate ⚖️ Legal

Definition

'By law' or 'officially'—describing what the law says should happen, regardless of what actually does.

Example Usage

The regulations prohibit discrimination de jure, even if it still happens de facto.

Origin

Latin phrase, complementary to 'de facto,' both used since medieval legal traditions

Fun Fact

Used together, 'de facto and de jure' means you're covering both the reality and the official version.

Source: Latin legal terminology used in constitutional and administrative law

Related Terms

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revoked

To officially cancel, withdraw, or invalidate something that was previously granted or authorized—the bureaucratic equivalent of 'never mind, scratch that.'

⚖️ Legal
Intermediate

inadmissible

Evidence or testimony that the court won't allow into the trial record, usually because it violates procedural rules, constitutional protections, or basic standards of relevance. It's what judges say when attorneys try to sneak in questionable material that would prejudice the jury or waste everyone's time. The legal equivalent of 'objection sustained' in permanent form.

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subpoenaed

To be formally commanded by legal writ to appear in court or produce documents, whether you want to or not. A subpoena is the legal system's way of saying "your presence is mandatory, not optional." Ignoring one is a terrible idea unless you're interested in experiencing contempt of court charges firsthand.

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Advanced

Amicus Curiae

Latin for "friend of the court," which is the legal system's way of letting random people butt into a case they were not invited to. Think of it as showing up to someone else's argument at a restaurant and loudly offering your opinion.

⚖️ Legal
Advanced

specific performance

A court order forcing someone to actually do what they promised in a contract, rather than just paying damages. It's typically reserved for unique situations where money can't fix the problem—like when you contracted to buy a one-of-a-kind Picasso.

⚖️ Legal
Beginner

proceedings

The formal events and actions that constitute a legal case, from filing the initial complaint to the final judgment. It's the legal profession's way of making "stuff that happened in court" sound more important. Also refers to published academic conference papers, because academics needed their own type of proceedings too.

⚖️ Legal

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