Legitime imperanti parere necesse est. One who commands lawfully¹ must be obeyed. Jenk. Cent. 120.

Les fictions naissent de la loi, et non la loi des fictions. Fictions arise from the law, and not law from fictions.

Lex aliquando sequitur aequitatem. The law sometimes follows equity². 3 Wils. 119.

Lex aequitate guadet; appetit perfectum; est norma recti. The law delights in equity; it covets³ perfection; it is a rule of right. Jenk. Cent. 36.

Lex beneficialis rei consimili remedium praestat. A beneficial law affords a remedy in a similar case. 2 Co. Inst. 689.

Lex citius tolerare vult privatum damnum quam publicum malum. The law would rather tolerate a private wrong than a public evil. Co. Litt. 152.

Lex de futuro, judex de praeterito. The law provides for the future, the judge for the past.

Lex deficere non potest in justitiÉ exhibendaÉ. The law ought not to fail in dispensing⁴ justice. Co. Litt. 197.

Lex dilationes semper exhorret. The law always abhors⁵ delay. 2 Co. Inst. 240.

Lex est ab aeterno. The law is from everlasting⁶.

Lex est dictamen rationis. Law is the dictate⁷ of reason. Jenk. Cent. 117.

Lex est norma recti. Law is a rule of right.

Lex est ratio summa, quae jubet quae sunt utilia et necessaria, et contraria prohibet. Law is the perfection of reason, which commands what is useful and necessary and forbids the contrary. Co. Litt. 319.