_causa privata_—a civil case.
_causa publica_ (Brut. 48. 178)—a criminal case.
_causam alicuius agere (apud iudicem)_—to conduct a person's case
(said of an agent, solicitor).
_causam dicere, orare_ (Brut. 12. 47)—to address the court (of the
advocate).
_causam dicere_—to defend oneself before the judge (of the accused).
_causam dicere pro aliquo_—to defend a person.
_causam alicuius defendere_—to conduct some one's defence in a case.
_causam optimam habere_ (Lig. 4. 10)—to have a good case.
_causam inferiorem dicendo reddere superiorem_ (λόγον κρείττω ποιειν)
(Brut. 8. 30)—to gain a weak case by clever pleading.
_patronus_[1] _(causae)_ (De Or. 2. 69)—counsel; advocate.
_causam suscipere_—to undertake a case.
_ad causam aggredi_ or _accedere_—to undertake a case.
_indicta causa_ (opp. _cognita causa_)—without going to law.
_litem alicui intendere_—to go to law with, sue a person.
_adhuc sub iudice lis est_ (Hor. A. P. 77)—the case is still undecided.
_lites componere_ (Verg. Ecl. 3. 108)—to arrange a dispute (by
arbitration).
_causam_ or _litem obtinere_—to win a case.
_causā_ or _iudicio vincere_—to win a case.
_causam_ or _litem amittere, perdere_—to lose one's case.
_causā_ or _lite cadere_ (owing to some informality)—to lose one's case.
_calumniae litium_ (Mil. 27. 74)—chicanery (specially of wrongfully
accusing an innocent man).
[1] They were not called _advocati_ till under the Empire. In Augustan
Latin _advocatus_ = _amicus qui adest alicui (in iudicio)_, i.e. a man
who supported his friend by his presence and influence.