Law Library of Congress Employees' Favourite Legal Words

The Law Library of Congress decided to survey its staffers to find out what their favorite legal terms or phrases are and why.

Among the results are:

• recreational litigation
• per stirpes
• in custodia legis
• proprio motu
• amicus curiae
• res ipsa loquitur
• in loco parentis
• estoppel
• force majeure
• Miranda warning
• well-founded fear (refugee law)
• common scold (old)
• oredelf  (very old)
• pettifogger

My favourite terms or expressions are "mandamus" and "anticonstitutionnellement" (in French) . I am also very fond of "obiter dicta".