Inter partes
Between the parties
Inter partes is a Latin term meaning “between the parties”. It refers to legal consequences that apply exclusively between the parties involved and not against third parties.
Inter partes is a legal term of Latin origin used to denote that an agreement, judgment or other legal act is binding solely on the parties directly involved. It stands in contrast to erga omnes, under which the effects extend to everyone.
The term is particularly relevant in intellectual property law, contract law and procedural law. An inter partes judgment, for example, binds only the claimant and the defendant and produces no legal consequences for third parties.
In practice, the term is employed to underscore the limited scope of a decision or arrangement, for instance in licensing agreements or settlements that operate exclusively between the contracting parties.
“The license agreement operates inter partes and therefore binds only the licensor and the licensee.”
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