Legal Definitions - res inter alios acta

The Latin legal principle res inter alios acta translates to "a thing done between others." It generally reflects the idea that legal actions, agreements, or events involving certain parties should not unfairly impact or bind other parties who were not involved.

This principle applies in different areas of law:

• In Contract Law:

  In the context of contracts, res inter alios acta means that an agreement made between two or more parties cannot impose obligations on, or negatively affect the rights of, a person who is not a party to that contract. A contract generally binds only those who enter into it.

  • Example 1: Sarah and Mark sign a contract for Sarah to sell her antique collection to Mark. A clause in their contract states that Sarah's sister, Emily, must deliver the collection to Mark's house and pay for the shipping costs.

    Explanation: Under res inter alios acta, this clause is not enforceable against Emily. Emily was not a party to the contract between Sarah and Mark, did not agree to its terms, and therefore cannot be legally obligated to deliver the collection or pay for shipping. Her rights and obligations are independent of their agreement.

  • Example 2: A homeowner, Mr. Davies, hires a landscaping company to redesign his garden. Their contract includes a provision that Mr. Davies's next-door neighbor, Ms. Chen, must allow the landscaping company to store their equipment on her property for the duration of the project.

    Explanation: This provision would not be legally binding on Ms. Chen. Since Ms. Chen is not a signatory to the contract between Mr. Davies and the landscaping company and did not consent to its terms, the principle of res inter alios acta dictates that she cannot be compelled to allow equipment storage on her property based solely on their agreement.

• In Evidence Law:

  In the context of evidence, res inter alios acta is a rule that generally prohibits the admission of "collateral facts" into evidence. This means that facts or events that occurred between other parties, or are entirely unrelated to the specific dispute being tried, are usually considered irrelevant and inadmissible because they could distract the court or jury from the actual issues at hand without providing direct proof.

  • Example 1: During a trial where a restaurant is sued for food poisoning, the plaintiff attempts to introduce evidence that, two years ago, a completely different restaurant owned by a different company in another city was also sued for food poisoning and lost the case.

    Explanation: A court would likely exclude this evidence based on res inter alios acta. The legal outcome of a case involving a different restaurant, at a different time, and owned by a different entity, is a "thing done between others" and is generally irrelevant to whether the defendant restaurant caused food poisoning in *this specific instance*. Admitting such evidence would be prejudicial and not help determine the facts of the current dispute.

  • Example 2: A person is on trial for assault. The defense attempts to introduce evidence that the victim had a heated argument with a different individual, unrelated to the defendant, at a bar several weeks before the alleged assault.

    Explanation: The court would likely rule this evidence inadmissible under the principle of res inter alios acta. The victim's argument with a third party, a "thing done between others," is considered collateral and does not directly prove or disprove the defendant's guilt for the alleged assault. Such evidence could unfairly prejudice the jury or distract from the actual facts of the case without providing relevant proof.