Latin Legal Terms

Actus reus refers to the external, physical element of an offence: the prohibited conduct, together with any required circumstance or consequence defined by the crime. In South African criminal law, liability generally r

Mens rea refers to the fault element of an offence: the accused’s state of mind when committing the prohibited act. In South African criminal law, liability generally requires both unlawful conduct and fault, usually in

In South African law, prima facie refers to evidence or a case that is sufficient on its face to establish a fact or support a claim unless it is rebutted. It does not mean conclusive proof, but rather a threshold showin