Latin term meaning "from the beginning"

Ab initio (/ˌæb ɪˈnɪʃioʊ/ AB in-ISH-ee-oh) is a Latin term meaning "from the beginning" and is derived from the Latin ab ("from") + initio, ablative singular of initium ("beginning"). Ab initio was … Wikipedia
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Ab_initio
Ab initio - Wikipedia
4 days ago - An insurer facing a claim from an insured who had deceived the insurer on a material fact would claim that the insurance contract was void ab initio; it was null and void from the beginning and that since there was no legally enforceable contract, the insurer ought not to have to pay.
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Void_(law)
Void (law) - Wikipedia
February 9, 2025 - For example, in many jurisdictions where a person signs a contract under duress, that contract is treated as being void ab initio. The frequent combination "null and void" is a legal doublet. The term is frequently used in contradistinction to the term "voidable" and "unenforceable". Black's Law Dictionary defines 'void' as "[n]ull; ineffectual; nugatory; having no legal force or binding effect...." In the case of a contract, this means there is no legal obligation, therefore there can be no breach of contract since the contract is null, but there may be an implied contract which requires the recipient of goods or services provided to pay their reasonable value.
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UpCounsel
upcounsel.com › void-ab-initio-agreement
Check out this article...Void Ab Initio Meaning and Its Impact on Contracts
A void ab initio agreement is Latin for "void from the beginning." This means that legally, a contract was void as soon as it was created. The parties of the contract are not legally related based on what was written in the agreement because ...
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Law Insider
lawinsider.com › dictionary › void-ab-initio
Void ab initio Definition | Law Insider
July 7, 2025 - Void ab initio means “null from the beginning, as from the first moment when a contract is entered into,” whereas “voidable” means “valid until annulled; especially, (of a contract) capable of being affirmed or rejected at the option ...
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Law Insider
lawinsider.com › clause › void-ab-initio
VOID AB INITIO Sample Clauses | Law Insider
July 10, 2025 - The 'Void Ab Initio' clause establishes ... In practice, this means that if certain conditions are met—such as misrepresentation, illegality, or lack of capacity—the agreement is treated as null and ......
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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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Fiveable
fiveable.me › all key terms › elementary latin › void ab initio
Void ab initio Definition - Elementary Latin Key Term | Fiveable
Void ab initio means that a contract is null from the beginning and has no legal effect whatsoever. In contrast, a voidable contract is initially valid but can be annulled at the discretion of one party due to certain conditions such as misrepresentation or undue influence.
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Publiccontractinginstitute
publiccontractinginstitute.com › void-ab-initio
VOID AB INITIO - Public Contracting Institute - Government Contracts Training
Government contractors must understand that there are certain times when a government contract is void ab initio¸ which means that the contract is null and void from the very beginning.
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B&B Associates LLP
bnblegal.com › home › void ab initio
Void ab initio - Legal Maxim
February 28, 2025 - In Henry Ah Hoc & Another vs. The State and Another, it was held that “Void means prospectively void and void ab initio means void from its very inception, or in other words, retrospectively void, the word void as used in Article 254(1) of the Constitution.
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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 - To put it in simpler terms, if ... that contract is considered invalid from the time it was written and/or signed (i.e., from the start of the contract) rather than from when the court declared it to be null or void...
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UpCounsel
upcounsel.com › ab-initio-definition-law
Check out this article...Ab Initio Meaning in Law: Definition, Usage, and Examples
Differences: Voidable contracts can be corrected, whereas void ab initio contracts cannot be remedied. Usage in Court: Courts may declare rulings effective ab initio, invalidating documents retroactively.
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Incorporated
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What Does Void Ab Initio Mean In Contract Law (Best Overview)
January 2, 2021 - A legal document is void ab initio, not only means that it is declared to be null in legal value but its nullity goes back to the start of the contract or when the agreement was initially formed.
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Quora
quora.com › What-is-the-difference-between-a-void-and-a-void-ab-initio-contract-with-an-example-of-each
What is the difference between a void and a void ab initio contract with an example of each? - Quora
Answer (1 of 5): Going in reverse, void ab initio means “void/invalid from the outset,” and refers to an agreement that is has no legal effect from its inception. Examples would include contracts to accomplish illegal goals, such as murder ...
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Sklaw
sklaw.au › home › dictionary › void ab initio
Void ab initio - Law Dictionary
March 17, 2023 - Void means without legal effect. Ab initio is a Latin term meaning “from the beginning”. Void ab initio, therefore, means an action that never had legal
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RunSensible
runsensible.com › dictionary of legal terms › ab initio
Ab Initio - RunSensible
December 8, 2023 - For example, if a contract is found ... a court may declare it void ab initio. Meaning that the contract is null and void from the beginning, and the parties are released from their obligations as if the contract never existed....
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LawBhoomi
lawbhoomi.com › home › void ab initio meaning
Void Ab Initio Meaning
June 5, 2025 - ... The Latin phrase void ab initio translates directly to “void from the beginning.” In legal terms, it means that the document, act, or agreement in question was never valid, even from the moment it was created or executed.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english › ab-initio
AB INITIO | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
If a marriage is void "ab initio", then it is automatically null, although a declaration of nullity is required to establish this.
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De Gruyter Brill
degruyterbrill.com › document › doi › 10.1515 › icl-2023-0034 › html
The Void Ab Initio Theory in Comparative Perspective: J Marshall, H Kelsen, and Beyond
September 1, 2023 - The void ab initio theory is the result of the logic of validity. An invalid law is null and this means that as a matter of logic it is as if it never existed. As Kelsen clarifies, ‘An act that is null lacks any legal character from the beginning, ...
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Live in Private
lipforms.com › home › void ab initio
void ab initio - Live in Private
December 7, 2023 - For instance, if a contract is found to be based on fraud or is against the law, a court might declare it “void ab initio,” meaning it is null and void from the moment it was created, and it holds no legal force whatsoever.
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Westlaw
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Glossary | Practical Law - Legal Resources & Know-How for Professionals
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