What is the Legal Definition of “ab initio”

In law, “ab initio” is a Latin term meaning “from the beginning” or “from the start.” It’s used to indicate that something, like a contract or a marriage, is considered invalid or unenforceable from its inception. This means the situation or action is treated as though it never had legal effect, even if it was previously thought to be valid. 

Here’s a breakdown:

• Meaning: Ab initio translates to “from the beginning” or “from the start”. 
• Use in Law: It’s often used with the phrase “void ab initio,” meaning something, like a contract or a marriage, is invalid from the very beginning. 
• Example: If a contract is found to be void ab initio, it means the contract was never legally binding, even if it was signed and parties acted upon it. 

Key Points:

• Ab initio is a Latin term, so it’s often italicized in legal writing. 
• It’s used to describe something that is considered invalid from the moment it was created or entered into. 
• The term is frequently used in contract law, but it can also apply to other areas of law, like marriage or property disputes.