Res nullius-things without owner
Stare decisis-following case decisions
Per incuriam-through want of care
Sub-silentio-not fully argued
Sententia legis-intention of the legislature
Litera scripta-according to letter
Ratio decidendi-reason of the decision
Obiter Dictum- what the Judge said unwantedly
Opinio necessitatis-ethical conviction that there is an authority behind the custom
Injuria-legal injury or wrong
Damnum-mere loss
Damnum sine injuria-detriment without legal injury
Right in rem-a right available against the whole world
Right in personam-a right available against a particular individual only
Dominum-the right of full ownership in property
Animus possidendi-intent to appropriate to oneself, the exclusive use of the thing possessed
Corpus-actual present exclusion of all alien interference with the thing possessed
De facto-factual or actual
De jure-legally
Mens rea-guilty mind
Dolus-intention
Chose in action-actionable claim
Occupatio-occupation of a thing belonging to nobody as yet
Derelicts-things willfully abandoned
