Legal Definitions - ex integro

Ex integro is a Latin legal term meaning anew, afresh, or from the beginning. When something is done "ex integro," it implies a complete restart or a fresh consideration without reference to previous attempts or stages.

Here are some examples of how "ex integro" might be used:

• Imagine a situation where a lower court made a significant procedural error during a trial, leading to an unfair outcome. An appellate court might rule that the case must be tried ex integro. This means the entire trial process, including jury selection, presentation of evidence, and arguments, would need to be conducted completely anew, as if the first trial never happened, to ensure fairness and adherence to legal standards.

• Consider two companies attempting to merge. After several months of complex negotiations and drafting a detailed merger agreement, a critical regulatory change occurs that fundamentally alters the financial landscape of the deal. The parties might decide to abandon the existing draft and begin negotiations ex integro. This signifies that they are starting the entire negotiation process from scratch, without being bound by any previous agreements or understandings, to account for the new circumstances.

• A city council might pass an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals, but after a year, it becomes clear that the ordinance is ineffective and has unintended negative consequences for both residents and property owners. The council could decide to repeal the existing ordinance and draft a new one ex integro. This means they would not simply amend the old ordinance but would create a completely new piece of legislation from the ground up, incorporating new research, public feedback, and policy goals.