Legal terminology · Decisions & reasoning
ab initio — From the beginning
ab initio means from the beginning. Latin source words and legal terminology examples: Void ab initio.
Meaning and source words
Meaning: From the beginning
- Latin: ab initio
Examples and word parts
Void ab initio
Describing an act or agreement treated as having no legal effect from its outset.
Word parts: ab (from) + initio (beginning)
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Related decisions & reasoning terms
- de novo — Anew
De novo review
- stare decisis — Follow precedent
Reliance on stare decisis
- res judicata — Claim preclusion
A res judicata argument
- ratio decidendi — Reason for deciding
Identifying the ratio decidendi
- obiter dictum — An incidental judicial remark
An observation described as dictum
- prima facie — At first appearance
Prima facie evidence
- a fortiori — With stronger reason
An a fortiori argument
- ad hoc — For this purpose
An ad hoc committee
Sources and usage
From the Word Radicals legal terminology collection. Source words and word parts are learning references; modern meanings can differ from their classical sources.