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Cornell Law School
law.cornell.edu › lii › wex › ab initio
ab initio | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
Ab initio is a Latin term that means "from the beginning” or “from inception.” Ab initio is used to indicate that some fact existed from the start of a relevant time period.
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UpCounsel
upcounsel.com › ab-initio-definition-law
Check out this article...Ab Initio Meaning in Law: Definition, Usage, and Examples
Ab Initio Meaning: A Latin term meaning "from the beginning" or "from inception." A contract void ab initio is treated as though it never existed. Abuse of Rights: Legal rights can be revoked if they are abused, leading to the wrongful conduct ...
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Legal Choices
legalchoices.org.uk › home › law dictionary
What does Ab initio mean ? | Legal Choices dictionary
Definition of Ab initio. Latin phrase - From the start of something. If a court rules that something is in effect ab inito it means the ruling applies from when the act took place and not when the court made the decision.
People also ask

Why is ab initio important in contract law?
It ensures that agreements violating legal principles are nullified entirely, protecting parties from unfair or illegal obligations.
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upcounsel.com
upcounsel.com › ab-initio-definition-law
Check out this article...Ab Initio Meaning in Law: Definition, ...
What are examples of void ab initio contracts?
Contracts formed under duress, fraud, illegality, or lack of capacity are void ab initio.
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upcounsel.com
upcounsel.com › ab-initio-definition-law
Check out this article...Ab Initio Meaning in Law: Definition, ...
How is void ab initio different from voidable?
A void ab initio contract is treated as though it never existed, whereas a voidable contract remains valid until one party challenges its validity.
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upcounsel.com
upcounsel.com › ab-initio-definition-law
Check out this article...Ab Initio Meaning in Law: Definition, ...
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PracticePanther
practicepanther.com › home › legal terms › ab initio
Ab Initio | PracticePanther
December 15, 2020 - In the legal context, the Latin term “ab initio” refers to something (for example a fact, an act, a document) that was present from the beginning. It is often used as part of the phrase “void ab initio,” meaning something — such as ...
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Westlaw
content.next.westlaw.com › Glossary › PracticalLaw › I41334c8d07ef11ebbea4f0dc9fb69570
Void ab initio
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common law legal doctrine

Abatement ab initio (Latin for "from the beginning") is a common law legal doctrine that states that the death of a defendant who is appealing a criminal conviction extinguishes all criminal proceedings … Wikipedia
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Abatement_ab_initio
Abatement ab initio - Wikipedia
June 3, 2025 - Abatement ab initio (Latin for "from the beginning") is a common law legal doctrine that states that the death of a defendant who is appealing a criminal conviction extinguishes all criminal proceedings initiated against that defendant from indictment through conviction.
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Termscout
resources.termscout.com › contract-insights › ab-initio
What Is Ab Initio in Law? - Contract Intelligence Resources
September 4, 2025 - In business, it applies to data analysis, decision-making, and problem-solving that starts without bias. In law, ab initio is used to describe contracts, clauses, or agreements that are considered invalid or void from the beginning.
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The Law Dictionary
thelawdictionary.org › the law dictionary › articles › contracts
Why Ab Initio Is a Big Deal in Contract Law
July 20, 2022 - As stated above, ab initio means “from the start.” Therefore, if a court declares something to be the case ab initio, it typically means that the court’s ruling on it applies from when an act occurred or when the circumstances for the ...
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Sklaw
sklaw.au › home › dictionary › ab initio
Ab initio - Law Dictionary
November 15, 2023 - Ab initio is a Latin term, meaning: “from the beginning”. It refers to something being the case from the start, or from the instant a certain act was performed. In the context of contract law, a contract may be “void ab initio”. This ...
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Gatekeeper
gatekeeperhq.com › glossary › ab-initio
Ab Initio - Definition
If a contract is "Void Ab Initio", for example, it means it was void from the beginning and cannot be altered. Gatekeeper makes it easy to search for this terminology in your contracts through its powerful OCR technology.
Published   October 16, 2025
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Ab_initio
Ab initio - Wikipedia
4 days ago - Ab initio (/ˌæb ɪˈnɪʃioʊ/ ... including the following: In law, ab initio refers to something being the case from the start or from the instant of the act rather than from when the court declared it so....
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Uslegalforms
legal-resources.uslegalforms.com › us legal forms › legal definitions › ab initio
Ab Initio: Understanding Its Legal Definition and Implications | US Legal Forms
For instance, if a contract is deemed void ab initio, it means that the contract was never valid or enforceable from the moment it was created. Ab initio is commonly used in various areas of law, including:
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Practical Law
ca.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com › w-027-8278
Void ab initio | Practical Law
A law, agreement, sale, or other action that is void has no legal effect. A void action cannot be ratified or validated. An action that is void ab initio never had any legal effect. Ab initio is usually italicized because it is a Latin term that means from the beginning.
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
What is Ab Initio? [legal terminology explained] - YouTube
Ab Initio, is a Latin term meaning from the beginning or from the inception. Its legal application is such that it predates the decision of the Court and ins...
Published   September 22, 2022
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Century Law Firm
centurylawfirm.in › home › ab initio-legal maxim of the day
Ab initio-Legal Maxim meaning and Explanation
May 21, 2024 - Legal Maxim/Term- ab initioTranslation- from the beginningDefinition- Commonly used referring to the time a contract, statute, marriage, or deed become legal. e.g. The family was covered ab initio by her Mediclaim.” “Ab initio” is a Latin ...
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Uslegal
trespass.uslegal.com › trespass-ab-initio
Trespass Ab Initio – Trespass
Ab initio is a Latin term meaning, “from the beginning.” A person is said to have committed trespass ab initio, when s/he has abused the authority granted by law to enter a property or land.
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Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › dictionary › ab initio
AB INITIO Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025 And at the same time, powerful computer simulations, known as ab initio models, are helping predict how iron and nickel behave under conditions no lab can replicate. —Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2025 Even less so is the 1917 Liberty Bond Act, which has long since been superseded by a new Congressional budget process that has determined its own ‘ceiling’ by budgeting itself since 1974, and was of doubtful 14th Amendment conformity, at least as now interpreted by Republicans, ab initio in 1917.
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Legal term, definition, Ab initio - YouTube
Legal term, #definition , #Ab_initioAb initio is a Latin term that means "from the beginning” or “from inception.” Ab initio is used to indicate that some fa...
Published   November 18, 2023
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Justia
dictionary.justia.com › ab initio
ab initio Definition, Meaning & Usage | Justia Legal Dictionary
ab initio - A Latin term in law indicating something was legal or in effect from the very beginning
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LSD.Law
lsd.law › define › ab-initio
What is ab initio? Simple Definition & Meaning
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