Important Legal Maxims

1. Ab initio: The legal maxim “ab initio” is a Latin term meaning “from the beginning” or “from the very beginning”. In legal contexts, it’s often used to indicate that something (like a contract or marriage) is considered invalid from the very start, not just from the point when it was declared void. If a marriage is void ab initio, it means it was never legally valid at any point.
2. void ab initio: The legal maxim “void ab initio” means “void from the beginning.” or “Invalid from the outset”. When something is void ab initio, it is treated as though it never existed in the eyes of the law. No rights, duties, or legal effects ever arose from it. A marriage entered into while one party is already legally married to someone else is void ab initio under many legal systems, including under Section 11 of the Hindu Marriage Act in India. It means the marriage is considered null from the beginning, not just from the date a court declares it void.