Every general principle [or maxim of law] is its own pledge or warrant; and things that are clearly true are not to be proved.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim — no Latin equivalent; the English title is the original form.) A maxim of law requires no external proof — it is self-authenticating authority that a court may take judicial notice of without supporting evidence, and an opponent cannot demand that a party "prove" a fundamental legal axiom.

Where this applies

• A judge asks a party to prove that fraud vitiates consent, and the opposing counsel objects, arguing that fundamental maxims of law are self-evident and need no proof.
• A litigant is asked to demonstrate that no one should profit from their own wrong, and the court takes judicial notice of the maxim without requiring supporting evidence.
• An attorney challenges an opponent's reliance on the principle that equity follows the law, demanding proof, and the court holds that universally accepted legal axioms authenticate themselves.