Legal Definitions - pro parte

Pro parte is a Latin term meaning partly or in part. It describes a situation where an action, decision, or outcome applies to only a portion of something, rather than to the entirety.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Court Ruling: Imagine a lawsuit where a plaintiff asks the court for two specific things: financial compensation for damages and an order for the defendant to stop a particular activity. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiff by granting the financial compensation but denies the order to stop the activity, the court's decision could be described as being pro parte. It addressed and resolved some, but not all, of the plaintiff's requests.

• Contractual Performance: Consider a construction company hired to build a new office building and an accompanying parking garage. If the company completes the office building exactly as specified but, due to unforeseen circumstances, only manages to construct half of the parking garage before stopping work, their performance of the contract would be considered pro parte. They fulfilled a portion of their obligations, but not the entire agreement.

• Legislative Action: A new bill is introduced in a legislative body, containing several distinct proposals for reforming a particular industry. After extensive debate and amendments, the legislature passes the bill, but only two of the original five proposals remain intact. The legislative body's action in passing the bill could be seen as pro parte regarding the original comprehensive proposal, as only a portion of it was enacted into law.