Home > West's Encyclopedia of American Law > De Jure

[Latin, In law.] Legitimate; lawful, as a MATTER OF LAW. Having complied with all the requirements imposed by law.

De jure is commonly paired with de facto, which means "in fact." In the course of ordinary events, the term de jure is superfluous. For example, in everyday discourse, when one speaks of a corporation or a government, the understood meaning is a de jure corporation or a de jure government.

A de jure corporation is one that has completely fulfilled the statutory formalities imposed by state corporation law in order to be granted corporate existence. In comparison, a de facto corporation is one that has acted in GOOD FAITH and would be an ordinary corporation but for failure to comply with some technical requirements.

A de jure...