Definition
When a judge takes action on their own initiative without either party asking for it, like a referee calling a foul nobody else saw. It's judicial intervention that can surprise everyone in the courtroom, including the judge's own clerk.
Example Usage
The judge sua sponte dismissed the case after noticing a jurisdictional defect that neither attorney had raised.
Origin
Latin for 'of one's own accord' or 'voluntarily'
Fun Fact
Appellate courts occasionally reverse cases sua sponte for issues not raised on appeal, proving that even on appeal, the rules are more like guidelines.
Source: Common judicial procedure terminology
Related Terms
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See “sua sponte” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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