Legal Definitions - pro domino

Pro domino is a Latin phrase that translates to "as master or owner." It describes actions, rights, or responsibilities undertaken by someone in their capacity as the rightful proprietor, controller, or ultimate authority over a particular asset, property, or entity. It signifies acting with the full power and discretion that comes with ownership or supreme command.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Real Estate Management: Imagine a person who owns a commercial building outright. They decide to terminate a tenant's lease due to repeated breaches of contract, without needing approval from any higher authority or co-owner. This individual is acting pro domino, exercising their inherent rights as the sole owner of the property to manage its occupancy and use.

  This illustrates pro domino because the owner is making a fundamental decision about their property based solely on their ownership rights and authority.

• Business Operations: Consider the sole proprietor of a small business, such as a bakery. This owner makes all strategic decisions, from setting prices for their products to hiring and firing employees, and even choosing to sell the business entirely. All these actions are taken pro domino.

  Here, the owner is acting pro domino by exercising complete control and decision-making power over their business, reflecting their status as its sole master and proprietor.

• Intellectual Property Rights: An independent software developer creates a unique application and holds all the intellectual property rights to it. They decide to license the software to a large corporation for a significant fee, dictating the terms and conditions of its use. The developer is acting pro domino in this scenario.

  This example demonstrates pro domino because the developer is asserting their exclusive rights as the creator and owner of the intellectual property, determining how it can be used and monetized.