nulla pœna sine lege
See also: nulla poena sine lege
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From Latin: nūlla (feminine form of nūllus, “not any”) + poena (“penalty”, “punishment”) + sine (“without”) + lēge (ablative singular form of lēx, “a law”) = “no punishment without a law”.
Pronunciation edit
- (Anglicised) IPA(key): /ˌnʌlə ˈpiːnə ˌsaɪni ˈliːdʒi/
- (Latinate) IPA(key): /ˌnʊlə ˈpɔɪnə ˌsiːneɪ ˈleɪɡeɪ/
Phrase edit
- (law) The principle that a person shall receive no punishment unless he has committed an offence as explicitly defined in a law.
- 1945, The Solicitors’ Journal, volume 89, page 262:
- This is a wide definition, and the courts, no doubt bearing in mind that a wide application might tend to defeat the maxim “nulla pœna sine lege” have been cautious in its application in practice.
- 1992, European Journal of Sociology, volumes 33-34, Plon, page 196:
- […] -cutions on these and similar constructs, thereby overruling nulla pœna sine lege.
- 2005, Jerome Hall, General Principles of Criminal Law, page 55:
- This is especially pertinent to nulla poena sine lege in its particular reference to punishment.
Translations edit
nulla poena sine lege
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Further reading edit
- nulla pœna sine lege on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
French edit
Etymology edit
From Latin; see the English section.