Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Restitutio in integrum is a Latin term used in Roman and civil law that means restoring things to their previous condition or status quo. This can be done by annulling a contract or transaction that was legally valid but unfair and returning the parties to their previous legal relationship. In American law, this phrase is still used when a court cancels a contract and orders restitution based on fairness.
Definition: Restitutio in integrum is a Latin term used in Roman and civil law that means restoration to the previous condition or the status quo.
In Roman law, a praetor could use restitutio in integrum to annul a contract or transaction that was legally valid but unfair. The praetor would then restore the parties to their previous legal relationship. This phrase is still used in American law, especially in Louisiana, when a court annuls a contract and orders restitution on equitable grounds.
These examples illustrate how restitutio in integrum is used to restore a previous condition or status quo. In the first example, the employee is restored to their previous position and compensated for lost wages. In the second example, the property division is reversed to restore the parties to their previous legal relationship.