Ipso Facto
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Ipso Facto
[Latin, By the fact itself; by the mere fact.]
West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ipso facto
(ip-soh-fact-toe) prep. Latin for "by the fact itself." An expression more popular with comedians imitating lawyers than with lawyers themselves. A simple example: "a blind person, ipso facto, is not entitled to a driver's license."
Copyright © 1981-2005 by Gerald N. Hill and Kathleen T. Hill. All Right reserved.
IPSO FACTO. By the fact itself.
2. This phrase is frequently employed to convey the idea that something
which has been done contrary to law is void. For example, if a married man,
during the life of his wife, of which he had knowledge, should marry another
woman, the latter marriage would be void ipso facto; that is, on that fact
being proved, the second marriage would be declared void ab initio.
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John Bouvier. Published 1856.