Legal Definitions - sed per curiam

Definition: Sed per curiam is a Latin phrase that means "but by the court." It is used to introduce two things:

1. A statement made by the court that disagrees with what a lawyer has said.
2. The opinion of the entire court when it is different from the opinion of a single judge that was previously quoted.

Example 1: During the trial, the lawyer argued that the defendant was innocent. However, the judge disagreed and said, "Sed per curiam, the evidence clearly shows that the defendant is guilty."

Explanation: In this example, the judge is using the phrase "sed per curiam" to disagree with what the lawyer has said.

Example 2: In a previous ruling, Judge Smith said that the defendant was guilty. However, the entire court has now reviewed the case and has a different opinion. They say, "Sed per curiam, we believe that the defendant is actually innocent."

Explanation: In this example, the court is using the phrase "sed per curiam" to introduce their opinion, which is different from the opinion of Judge Smith.