Latin: A British common law creation whereby the courts have the right to make unfettered decisions concerning people who are not able to take care of themselves. For example, court can make custody decisions regarding a child or an insane person, even without statute law to allow them to do so, based on their residual, common law-based parens patriae jurisdiction.
PARENS PATRIAE
Meaning of PARENS PATRIAE in English
Duhaime's Law English dictionary. Английский юридический словарь Duhaime . 2012