Legal Definitions - si contingat

si contingat is a Latin phrase that translates to "if it happens" or "should it occur."

Historically, this term was used in legal documents, particularly those involving the transfer of property (known as conveyances), to introduce a condition. It indicated that a certain action or outcome would take place only if a specified event came to pass.

Here are some examples to illustrate its meaning:

• Example 1: A Conditional Will

  Imagine a will that states: "I bequeath my antique watch to my niece, Sarah, si contingat she completes her medical residency by the age of 30."

  How it illustrates the term: The phrase si contingat clearly sets a condition. Sarah will receive the watch if it happens that she finishes her medical residency by the specified age. If that event does not occur, the condition is not met, and the bequest might not take effect.

• Example 2: A Construction Contract Clause

  A contract for building a new office complex might include a clause stating: "The agreed-upon completion date shall be extended by 60 days, si contingat a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, prevents construction for more than two weeks."

  How it illustrates the term: Here, si contingat introduces a specific event (a natural disaster causing a delay) that, if it happens, will trigger a change in the contract's terms – an extension of the completion date. Without the occurrence of that event, the original completion date stands.

• Example 3: A Property Deed Restriction (Historical Context)

  Consider an old property deed that might have included a provision: "The land conveyed herein shall revert to the grantor's estate, si contingat the property is ever used for industrial manufacturing."

  How it illustrates the term: In this historical context, si contingat established a condition on the property transfer. The ownership of the land would automatically revert to the original owner's family if it happened that the land was ever used for industrial manufacturing, thereby violating the condition set in the deed.