He is not deemed to use force who exercises his own right, and proceeds by ordinary action.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) A person who exercises his lawful right through ordinary legal action is not considered to use force — the enforcement of a valid right by lawful means cannot constitute duress or compulsion.

Where this applies

• A creditor files a lawsuit to collect a debt through proper legal channels, and the debtor cannot accuse the creditor of using force because pursuing a remedy through ordinary legal action is not coercion.
• A landlord serves a lawful eviction notice and files in court, and the tenant cannot claim the landlord is threatening violence because exercising a legal right through standard procedures is not force.
• A patent holder sends a cease-and-desist letter and files an infringement suit, and the alleged infringer cannot claim intimidation because enforcing intellectual property rights through the courts is ordinary legal action, not force.