Qui Prior Est Tempore, Potior Est Jure Definition: Latin: he who is earlier in time is stronger in law. Also, whomever is first in time is first in right or one who is prior in time has a superior right in law.Justice Jackson, of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeals wrote, in Radius Credit Union, quoting from Snell's Equity:"The maxim is qui prior est tempore potior est jure: he who is earlier in time is stronger in law. Accordingly, where there are two competing equitable interests, the general rule of equity is that the person whose equity attached to the property first will be entitled to priority over the other. Where the equities are equal and neither claimant has the legal estate, the first in time prevails."REFERENCES:Neil Acquisition v. Wingrod Investments, 932 P. 2d 1100 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1997, at footnote 3)Radius Credit Union Limited v. Royal Bank of Canada, 2009 SKCA 36 Categories & Topics: Dictionary of Latin Law Terms Find you are constantly looking up definitions? Try our search provider (works in most modern browsers) If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Legal Dictionary, or if you have legal term suggestion, we'd love to hear from you!