Legal Definitions - PRO QUER

PRO QUER is an abbreviation for PRO QUERENTE.

This Latin phrase translates to "for the complainant" or "on behalf of the plaintiff." It is used in legal contexts, particularly in older legal documents, court records, or scholarly discussions, to indicate that an action, argument, or document pertains to or is presented by the party who initiated a legal complaint or lawsuit.

Here are some examples illustrating its use:

• Example 1: Court Docket Entry

  A court clerk, when updating the official record of a case, might note an entry as: "03/15/2023 - Motion for Summary Judgment filed (pro quer.)" This notation signifies that the motion for summary judgment was filed by the plaintiff or the party who initiated the legal action, rather than the defendant.

• Example 2: Legal Treatise Reference

  In a historical legal treatise discussing a landmark case, an author might write: "The arguments presented pro querente in the appellate brief focused on the novel interpretation of contract law." Here, "pro querente" clarifies that the specific arguments being discussed were those put forth by the party who brought the original complaint or appeal, distinguishing them from arguments made by the opposing side.

• Example 3: Judicial Order Language

  A judge issuing an order might include a phrase such as: "The court finds that the evidence presented pro querente sufficiently establishes a prima facie case for negligence." This indicates that the judge is referring to the evidence that was presented by or on behalf of the plaintiff, the party making the negligence claim, as opposed to evidence presented by the defense.