Dictionary

nulla pœna sine lege en · X

Pronunciation

• /ˌnʊlə ˈpɔɪnə ˌsiːneɪ ˈleɪɡeɪ/ (Latinate)
• (US) audio
• (US) audio
• /ˌnʌlə ˈpiːnə ˌsaɪni ˈliːdʒi/ (Anglicised)

Etymology

From Latin: nūlla (feminine form of nūllus, “not any”) + poena (“penalty”, “punishment”) + sine (“without”) + lēge (ablative singular form of lēx, “a law”) = “no punishment without a law”.

Meanings

1. The principle that a person shall receive no punishment unless he has committed an offence as explicitly defined in a law.
   • […] -cutions on these and similar constructs, thereby overruling nulla pœna sine lege. 1992, European Journal of Sociology, volumes 33-34, Plon, page 196:
   • This is especially pertinent to nulla poena sine lege in its particular reference to punishment. 2005, Jerome Hall, General Principles of Criminal Law, page 55:
   • This is a wide definition, and the courts, no doubt bearing in mind that a wide application might tend to defeat the maxim “nulla pœna sine lege” have been cautious in its application in practice. 1945, The Solicitors’ Journal, volume 89, page 262:

Forms

Translations (8)

cmn 罪刑法定主義 /罪刑法定主义 (nulla poena sine lege) · ja 罪刑法定主義 (nulla poena sine lege) · de nulla poena sine lege (nulla poena sine lege) · ko 죄형법정주의 (nulla poena sine lege) · cmn 罪刑法定原則 /罪刑法定原则 (nulla poena sine lege) · fi laillisuusperiaate (nulla poena sine lege) · de keine Strafe ohne Gesetz (nulla poena sine lege) · fi nulla poena sine lege -periaate (nulla poena sine lege)