Legal Definitions - ceteris tacentibus

Definition: Ceteris tacentibus (set-uh-ris ta-sen-tuh-buhs) is a Latin phrase that means "the others being silent." It is often used in legal contexts to refer to judges who do not vote or express an opinion.

For example, in a court case, if one judge gives an opinion and the other judges do not vote or express an opinion, the phrase ceteris tacentibus may be used to refer to those silent judges.

Another related term is seriatim (seer-ee-ay-tim), which means occurring in a series or one after another. For example, a court may dispose of issues seriatim, meaning they address each issue one after another in a series.