sua sponte

[Latin, Of his or her or its own will; voluntarily.]

For example, when a court takes action on its own motion, rather than at the request of one of the parties, it is acting sua sponte.

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sua sponte (sooh-uh-spahn-tay) adj. Latin for "of one's own will," meaning on one's own volition, usually referring to a judge's order made without a request by any party to the case. These include an order transferring a case to another judge due to a conflict of interest or the judge's determination that his/her court does not have jurisdiction over the case.

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sua sponte noun elective, on one's own accord, on the court's own initiative, on the court's own voliiion, on the court's own will, optional and freely initiated, self-willed, uncompelled, volitional, willful

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See also: free