Contra Formam Statuti Law and Legal Definition
Contra Formam Statuti is the Latin for “contrary to the form of the statute”. When one statute prohibits a thing and another gives the penalty, in an action for the penalty, the declaration should conclude contra fornam statutorum. The same rule applies to informations and indictments.
“Contrary to the statutory requirements or against the form of the statute” are formal phrases, which traditionally concludes an indictment. It indicates that the conduct alleged contravenes the cited statute and therefore constitutes a criminal offense. In modern contexts, the full conclusion often reads: “against the form of the statute in such case made and provided.”
