ad hoc

Ad hoc is Latin for "to this" and means “for this purpose only.”

Common examples are an ad hoc committee or an ad hoc commission created for a specific or one-time purpose to address issues that fall outside the scope of other existing committees or commissions. Ad hoc committees are formed on a temporary basis.

In Schmidt v. Contra Costa County , the Ninth Circuit explained;  “An ad hoc decision is one taken based on the circumstances of a particular case. An ‘ad hoc’ decision is made ‘with a particular end or purpose,’ as distinguished from ‘a coordinated policy.’"

[Last reviewed in February of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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