Legal Definitions - rien dit

Definition: Rien dit (pronounced "ryan dee") is a Law French term that means "says nothing." It is historically used as a plea of nihil dicit.

Nihil dicit: Nihil dicit (pronounced "nI-hil dI-sit") is a Latin term that means "he says nothing." It has two meanings:

1. When a defendant fails to answer a lawsuit.
2. When a court enters a default judgment against a defendant who fails to respond to a lawsuit.

For example, if someone sues you and you do not respond to the lawsuit, the court may enter a judgment against you by default. This is called a "nil dicit default judgment."

Another example is if a defendant is served with a lawsuit but does not show up to court or respond to the lawsuit in any way. In this case, the court may enter a default judgment against the defendant based on their failure to answer the lawsuit. This is also a "nil dicit default judgment."

These examples illustrate how the term "rien dit" and its related term "nihil dicit" are used in the legal system to describe a defendant's failure to respond to a lawsuit, which can result in a default judgment being entered against them.