Ipso iure
By operation of law.
Ipso iure is a Latin term meaning “by operation of law” and denoting that a legal consequence arises automatically by operation of law, without any further act or declaration being required.
Ipso iure, literally ‘by the law itself’, refers to legal consequences that arise directly and automatically by operation of law. The term originates in Roman law and is employed in contemporary legal practice to denote effects that occur without any intervening act by the parties or by public authorities.
This renders the concept relevant across diverse fields of law, including the law of contract, family law and the law of property. It enhances legal certainty by ensuring, for instance, that a contract is concluded or that ownership is transferred by operation of law, without the necessity of any further affirmative act.
In practice, the expression is frequently invoked to establish that a legal relationship has come into being or has been extinguished as a matter of course, thereby obviating unnecessary proceedings.
“Upon the death of the testator, the usufruct passed ipso iure to the surviving spouse.”
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