Legal maxim and Latin for outward acts indicate the intent hidden from within. You are presumed to intend that natural consequences of your actions, e.g. if you fire a gun directly into a crowd of people you intend to harm, injure or kill someone. Overt acts make known latent thoughts, or Acts indicate the intention. Where an authority given by law is abused, the person becomes a trespasser ab initio, but not so if authority be given by party, or in cases of mere nonfeasance.