Legal Definitions - ante mortem

Ante Mortem

The term ante mortem is Latin for "before death." In legal and medical contexts, it refers to any event, condition, or statement that occurred or existed prior to an individual's death.

Here are some examples to illustrate its application:

• Medical Records: A doctor's notes detailing a patient's symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments leading up to their passing would be considered ante mortem medical records. For instance, if a patient was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and their physician documented their declining lung function over several days before they died, these observations describe their condition ante mortem.

  This illustrates the term because the medical information and observations were recorded while the patient was still alive, preceding their death.

• Forensic Analysis: In a criminal investigation, forensic experts might analyze injuries found on a body to determine if they were inflicted ante mortem or post-mortem. For example, if a body shows signs of bruising with associated bleeding into the tissues, it indicates the person was alive when the injury occurred, as the circulatory system was still functioning. Conversely, bruises appearing after death would not show such internal bleeding.

  This example demonstrates the term by distinguishing between injuries sustained while the individual was alive (ante mortem) versus those that might have occurred after death.

• Estate Planning: A will or a trust created by an individual to specify how their assets should be distributed and managed after their death is an ante mortem legal document. For instance, a person might draft and sign their last will and testament years before their demise, outlining their wishes for their property and guardianship of their children.

  This illustrates the term because the legal planning and documentation were completed by the individual during their lifetime, in anticipation of their eventual death.