Ab Initio for Dummies
adverb
pronunciation: ɑb_ɪ'nɪti,oʊWhat does Ab Initio really mean?
Ab initio is a Latin phrase that we often use in the field of law. When we say "ab initio," we mean "from the beginning" or "from the start." It's like when you press the rewind button on a movie, and everything starts from the very first scene again. Now, imagine if our legal system had a rewind button, and we could go back to the beginning of a situation or a contract, starting fresh as if nothing had happened before.
So, when we say "ab initio" in a legal context, we're talking about going back to the very beginning of a legal process or a contract and pretending that everything that happened afterward didn't exist. It's like erasing all the actions and consequences that took place after the very first moment and giving ourselves a clean slate to work with.
Let me give you an example to make it clearer. Suppose you and your friend signed a contract to sell a toy car to your other friend. But later, you find out that the toy car is broken, and you can't sell it anymore. In this situation, if the contract contains an "ab initio" clause, it means that we can go back to the start, before the contract even existed, and pretend that it never happened. So, you and your friend don't have to sell the broken toy car, and your other friend doesn't have any legal claim against you. It's like going back in time and avoiding any problems that might have arisen from the faulty contract.
In some cases, "ab initio" can also mean that something is invalid or void from the beginning. It's like saying that it never even happened in the first place. So, if a court declares a law or an action "ab initio," it means that they believe it was wrong or illegal from the very beginning, as if it never had any legal effect. It's sort of like saying that it was a mistake from the start and we need to pretend it never existed.
So, in short, "ab initio" means going back to the beginning, as if everything that happened afterward didn't exist, or declaring something invalid from the very start. It's like hitting the rewind button on a movie or going back in time to fix a problem or avoid legal complications.
So, when we say "ab initio" in a legal context, we're talking about going back to the very beginning of a legal process or a contract and pretending that everything that happened afterward didn't exist. It's like erasing all the actions and consequences that took place after the very first moment and giving ourselves a clean slate to work with.
Let me give you an example to make it clearer. Suppose you and your friend signed a contract to sell a toy car to your other friend. But later, you find out that the toy car is broken, and you can't sell it anymore. In this situation, if the contract contains an "ab initio" clause, it means that we can go back to the start, before the contract even existed, and pretend that it never happened. So, you and your friend don't have to sell the broken toy car, and your other friend doesn't have any legal claim against you. It's like going back in time and avoiding any problems that might have arisen from the faulty contract.
In some cases, "ab initio" can also mean that something is invalid or void from the beginning. It's like saying that it never even happened in the first place. So, if a court declares a law or an action "ab initio," it means that they believe it was wrong or illegal from the very beginning, as if it never had any legal effect. It's sort of like saying that it was a mistake from the start and we need to pretend it never existed.
So, in short, "ab initio" means going back to the beginning, as if everything that happened afterward didn't exist, or declaring something invalid from the very start. It's like hitting the rewind button on a movie or going back in time to fix a problem or avoid legal complications.
Revised and Fact checked by Olivia Davis on 2023-10-27 22:34:49
Ab Initio In a sentece
Learn how to use Ab Initio inside a sentece
- When you start learning a new language from scratch, you are learning it ab initio.
- The scientist conducted an experiment ab initio, meaning they started it from the very beginning.
- In this cooking class, we will teach you how to bake a cake ab initio, assuming you know nothing about baking.
- The detective had no leads, so they had to investigate the crime ab initio, starting from square one.
- The lawyer presented the case ab initio, beginning with the basic facts of the situation.
Ab Initio Synonyms
Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.