Other Free Encyclopedias :: Law Library - American Law and Legal Information :: American Law Encyclopedia Vol 3

Communis Error Facit Jus

[Latin, common error makes law.] Another expression for this idea is "common opinion," or communis opinio. In ancient Rome, the phrase expressed the notion that a generally accepted opinion or belief about a legal issue makes that opinion or belief the law. Judges have pointed out that universal opinion may also be universal error. Until the error is discovered, however, the belief continues to be the law. The concept of communis opinio is not especially favored by contemporary U.S. courts.

Citing this material

Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.

Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.

<a href="http://law.jrank.org/pages/5457/Communis-Error-Facit-Jus.html">Communis Error Facit Jus</a>

User Comments Add a comment…

Communism - Russia, House Un-american Activities Committee, China, The Demise Of Communist States, Communism In The United States [next] [back] Common Stock