sua sponte

English

Etymology

A borrowing of Latin sua sponte (“at its own prompting; by its own impulse; of its own free will”)

Phrase

sua sponte

1. (law) Without prompting or suggestion; on its own initiative.
   • 1878, "Decretals" in the Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. VII, p. 22:

     Decretals... ought, properly speaking, to be distinguished, on the one hand from constitutions... enacted by the Pope sua sponte without reference to any particular case, and on the other hand from rescripts... which apply only to special circumstances or individuals, and constitute no general precedent. But this nomenclature is not strictly observed.

Usage notes

• Usually used when the court issues an order or otherwise acts without being petitioned to do so.

Synonyms

• suo motu, nostra sponte, motu proprio

Related terms

• off one's own bat

References

• Black's Law Dictionary 10th Edition (2014)

Swedish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin sua sponte.

Phrase

sua sponte

1. (archaic) sua sponte; of one's own accord; spontaneously

   Synonyms: på eget bevåg, självmant, spontant

   • 1900, Ninian Wærnér, Mina hundår i Amerika, page 171:

     Affären gick briljant, och den unge läkaren fick genom dessa mystifikationer både praktik och goda inkomster, någonting, som han säkerligen icke skulle ha fått om han sua sponte slagit sig ner och börjat praktisera. Mundus vult decipi!

     The business prospered exceedingly, and the young doctor, by means of these mystifications, acquired both practice and a handsome income — something which he most assuredly would not have obtained had he sua sponte settled down and begun to practise. Mundus vult decipi!

   • 2015 October 2, Dagens nyheter, page 25:

     […] en dieselmotor som endast stannade sua sponte (spontant, reds anm.) framåt morgonkvisten […]

     […] a diesel engine that only stopped sua sponte (spontaneously, editor's note) towards the early morning […]

Usage notes

• Rarely or never used in legal contexts, where synonyms are preferred instead.