Legal Definitions - Nihil dicit

Definition: Nihil dicit is a Latin term that means "he says nothing." It refers to a defendant's failure to answer a lawsuit.

For example, if a plaintiff files a lawsuit against a defendant and the defendant fails to respond or file an answer, the court may enter a default judgment against the defendant. This means that the plaintiff automatically wins the case because the defendant did not defend themselves.

Nihil dicit is similar to the term "nil dicit default judgment," which also refers to a judgment entered against a defendant who fails to respond to a lawsuit.