Legal Definitions - alternatim

Alternatim describes an action or arrangement where tasks, responsibilities, or opportunities are performed or exercised interchangeably or by turns. It signifies a rotating sequence where different parties take their turn in a structured manner, rather than acting simultaneously or one party always having precedence.

• Example 1: Legal Argumentation

  During a complex legal debate or a hearing with multiple parties, a judge might direct the attorneys to present their arguments alternatim. This means that instead of everyone speaking at once or in a free-for-all, one attorney presents their points, then another attorney responds, and they continue to take turns in an organized fashion until all arguments have been heard.

• Example 2: Shared Fiduciary Duties

  If two individuals are appointed as co-executors of an estate, they might decide to manage certain administrative duties alternatim. For instance, one executor might handle all communication with beneficiaries for the first six months, while the other manages the estate's financial accounts. Then, for the next six months, they swap these primary responsibilities, ensuring both are involved and share the workload by turns.

• Example 3: Regulatory Oversight

  Imagine two government agencies, Agency X and Agency Y, both have the authority to audit certain financial institutions for compliance with different but related regulations. To optimize resources and avoid redundant efforts, they might agree to conduct their comprehensive audits alternatim. This arrangement would mean Agency X takes the lead on auditing a specific set of institutions in one year, and Agency Y takes the lead on those same institutions the following year, rotating their oversight responsibilities.