pacta sunt servanda
Contracts must hold
Pacta sunt servanda is a Latin legal principle meaning "agreements must be kept." It's the foundational doctrine that contracts and treaties are binding on the parties who make them: The court invoked pacta sunt servanda to enforce the original terms.
The phrase appears in international law discussions and contract disputes where one party seeks to escape their obligations.
- good faithSincere, honest intent
- offerProposal to provide
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- Roman lawAncient Italy's legal system
- binding agreementsEnforceable promises between parties
enforceability · trustworthiness · ratification · acceptance · obligation · sovereignty · reciprocity · breach · canon law · treaty compliance · consideration · integrity · accountability · duty · diplomacy · promise · covenant · Latin
- international lawinternational law, treaty, treaties, conventions, protocols
- legal maximscaveat emptor, mens rea, bona fide, prima facie, ex post facto
- contractsbinding contracts, contract length, lease, clause, contract terms
- Latin Legal Termsbona fide, caveat emptor, de facto, de jure, in absentia
- treatiestreaty, treaties, peace treaty, peace treaties, bilateral treaty
pacta sunt servandaforce majeure
Extraordinary event excusing performance
breach of contract · repudiation · rescission · voidability · gentlemen's agreement
pacta sunt servandapromise-breaking
Failing to honor commitments
perfidy · faithlessness · betrayal of trust · reneging · duplicity