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family law

ab initio

Ab initio is a Latin term that means "from the beginning” or “from inception.” Ab initio is used to indicate that some fact existed from the start of a relevant time period. It is often used as part of the phrase “void ab initio,” meaning something – such as a marriage – was void from the beginning.

abandon

Abandon refers to the act of abandonment. A party can “abandon” in multiple fields of law and abandoning generally, though not always, involves voluntarily giving up a right.

See abandonment for more information. 

[Last reviewed in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]

abandonment

Abandonment is a term that generally refers to a voluntary parting or the discarding of an object with no intent to return or reclaim the item. However, it varies in application across different areas of the law.

acquisition of citizenship

Acquisition of citizenship refers to the ability of individuals born abroad to achieve U.S. citizenship because at least one of their parents is a U.S. citizen. If the child meets the complex requirements, the child “acquires” citizenship through a parent even if the child was born abroad. The laws governing acquisition of citizenship have been changed significantly, and in order to determine a child’s eligibility for acquisition, they must look to the laws applicable for their birth year.

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