There is something more perfect in things allowed.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim — no Latin equivalent; the English title is the original form.) A lawful act carries greater weight and perfection than one merely tolerated or overlooked — rights exercised with affirmative legal sanction stand on stronger ground than those existing by sufferance alone.

Where this applies

• A landowner holds property by affirmative grant from the state, and her title is stronger than that of a squatter who merely occupies land without objection.
• A licensed professional operates under explicit statutory authorization, and her practice stands on firmer ground than that of someone who practices merely because no one has stopped them.
• An easement created by a formal recorded deed carries greater legal weight than one that exists only because the property owner has tolerated the use without complaint.