Suo motu, meaning "on its own motion," is a Latin legal term, approximately equivalent to the English term sua sponte. It is used, for example, where a government agency acts on its own cognizance, as in "the Commission took suo motu control over the matter." Example - "there is no requirement that a court suo motu instruct a jury upon these defenses." State v. Pierson.

See also

• List of legal Latin terms