The latin legal terms ‘pro tempore’ and ‘Non est factum

The  latin legal terms ‘pro tempore’ and ‘Non est factum’  are discussed below:

Word : Pro tempore

Meaning: “for the time being”. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a placeholder in the absence of a superior.  Legislative bodies can have one or more pro tempore.

Example: In the absence of the president and vice president a president pro tempore may be chosen.

Pronunciation:

Pro – proh

Tem –  tem

Po    – paw, -puh

Re   -re, ree

Word : Non est factum

Meaning: “it is not *my+ deed”. It can also be referred as “not my act”. This is a denial by a person that he was actually involved in some action or dealings. It is a doctrine in contract law that allows a signing party to escape performance of the agreement. A claim of non est factum means that the signature on the contract was signed by mistake, without knowledge of its meaning, but was not done so negligently. A successful plea would make the contract void ab initio.

Example: A person who signs away the deed to a house, thinking that the document signed was only a guarantee for another person’s debt, might be able to plead non est factum in a court and on that basis get the court to void the contract.

Pronunciation:

Non – nan

Est   – ae, aest

Factum – fak-t&m, fac tumNon – nan

Factum – fak-t&m, fac tum

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