Legal Maxim

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Literal Meaning

The law succors the ignorant

Origin

Latin

Explanation

According to this maxim, the law aids the ignorant. Ignorant means someone who has no knowledge of the law which is a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority.

Case Laws

In A Abitha v. Eben Jayanth, 2012 SCC Online MAD. 4810, the Madras High Court Justice G. Rajasuria while referring to the above maxim said that “Ignoring all these important salient features, the lower Court Judge concerned simply set the wife and her alleged guardian exparte and passed the exparte judgment and decree declaring the marriage as a nullity. Even for argument’s sake, it is taken that despite notice having been served on the alleged mentally challenged person and her guardian, none appeared before the Court, yet the duty was cast upon the Court to appoint a fresh Court guardian for the carriage of the case. Such procedure is found explicitly detailed in Order XXXII of the Code of Civil Procedure.”


This Maxim has been written and submitted by Mr. Sourav during his course of internship at B&B Associates LLP. Mr. Sourav is a third-year law student at the Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur.

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