Common Legal Terms & Abbreviations
These are common terms found in court, probate, and land records. This list is not all-inclusive. If you have suggested additions or improved definitions, please email Dee Pavey.
Credit: Some definitions were contributed by David Hamby; many abbreviations were collected from the Bryan research list.
- a.a.s.
- died in the year of his/her age (anno aetatis suae). Example: -in the year 86- indicates the person was 86.
- affinity
- relationship to a spouse's relatives (as opposed to one's blood relatives).
- bond
- often refers to marriage bonds, indentures, or guardianship bonds.
- d.s.p.
- died without issue (decessit sine prole legitima).
- d.s.p.l.
- died without legitimate issue.
- d.s.p.m.s.
- died without surviving male issue.
- d.s.p.s.
- died without surviving issue.
- d.unm.
- died unmarried.
- d.v.p.
- died in the lifetime of his father (decessit vita patris).
- d.v.m.
- died in the lifetime of his mother (decessit vita matris).
- et al.
- -and others- additional parties are involved but not listed (et alia).
- ex p.
- Ex Parte -on behalf of.- Often used in case titles; sometimes indicates appeals or special motions.
- heirs at law
- those who would legally inherit from a deceased person under the law (especially if intestate).
- inst.
- the present month (instans).
- intestate
- a person who dies without a will.
- liber
- book or volume.
- nepos
- grandson.
- nuncupative
- an oral will, recorded/written by witnesses.
- ob.
- he/she died (obit).
- relict
- widow or widower (relicta/relictus).
- right of affinity
- see -affinity.-
- sic
- -so- or -thus- indicates the text is copied exactly as written.
- testator
- a person who dies leaving a valid will.
- testis
- witnesses.
- ult.
- the previous month (ultimo).
- ux. / vs.
- wife (uxor).
- viz.
- namely (videlicet).