Legal Definitions - ex auditu

Ex auditu is a Latin term that historically refers to information or knowledge obtained by hearsay or by report. It describes situations where someone learns something indirectly, through what another person has said, rather than through their own direct observation or experience.

• Example 1: Courtroom Testimony

  Imagine a witness in a civil lawsuit who testifies, "My neighbor told me that they saw the defendant's car speeding away from the accident scene." The witness did not personally see the defendant's car speeding; they are relaying information they heard from their neighbor. This testimony is based ex auditu, as the knowledge comes from a report by another person rather than direct observation.

• Example 2: Corporate Rumors

  An employee tells a colleague, "I heard from someone in HR that the company is planning a major reorganization next quarter." The colleague now has information about the reorganization, but they haven't seen an official announcement or spoken directly with HR management. Their understanding of the upcoming changes is based ex auditu, as it was acquired through a report from another employee.

• Example 3: Historical Accounts

  A historian writes an article about a specific event from the 18th century, citing a diary entry where the diarist recounted what a friend had told them about the king's secret meeting. The historian's knowledge of the king's meeting, as presented through that diary entry, is derived ex auditu, because the diarist themselves did not witness the meeting but merely reported what they heard from another individual.