in forma pauperis
1
9.9
- idiom
- /ɪn ˈfɔrmə ˈpɔpərɪs/
- UK
- After her lawyer informed her about the option to file in forma pauperis, she felt relieved that she could pursue justice without the court fees.
Examples
-
In addition, since the overwhelming majority of prisoner cases are filed in forma pauperis, the cost-benefit analysis performed by prisoner litigants may be cursory and may fail to account for external costs.
Academic text (1997) -
States should develop a procedure for men to register in forma pauperis where appropriate.
Academic text (2002) -
About 2,000 are filed by lawyers, and 6,000 are in forma pauperis.
Academic text (2011) -
In October 1906, Zamla had filed a suit in forma pauperis against her husband ... on the ground that the marriage was performed contrary to law.
Academic text (2004) -
Many individuals wish to file their cases in court in forma pauperis to avoid paying fees because they cannot afford them.
-
The judge granted her request to proceed in forma pauperis, allowing her to argue her case without financial burden.
Surface Forms
Morphology
in + forma + pauperis
This is a Latin legal formula rather than a compositional English phrase: the constituents 'forma' and 'pauperis' are not English words a B1 learner would know, so the meaning cannot be derived from the listed parts. Its use is a specialized legal convention (loaned Latin) whose sense must be learned as a term, making it unpredictable from the constituents.
Etymology
In forma pauperis comes from Latin: forma means 'form' and pauperis means 'poor person'. Picture a person who cannot afford court costs and is allowed to carry on the case without payment, so the term means a legal status to proceed 'without paying fees'.