ex parte
adverb or adjective
Did you know?
Latin has not been over-used in a procedural context ('ex parte' being a rare exception,) wrote a correspondent to the London Times in May 1999. Indeed, ex parte (which literally meant "on behalf [of]" in Medieval Latin) pops up quite often in legal settings. An ex parte proceeding, for example, is one that occurs at the request of and for the benefit of one party, usually without the knowledge and participation of any other party. Even when ex parte steps outside of the courtroom - to be used of an ex parte meeting, interview, chat, conversation, investigation, discussion, or contact, for example - the one-sided sense often has some sort of legal or legislative slant, referring to involvement of just one party or side in a case or dispute.
Examples of ex parte in a Sentence
Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 23 Aug. 2025
The president is duty-bound by his oath of office not to disburse funds to Planned Parenthood simply on the basis of an ex parte order telling him to violate a federal statute and giving the United States Treasury no remedy to get the money back if the TRO is overturned on appeal.
—The Editors, National Review, 9 July 2025
Meanwhile, David Ellison met with Trump at two recent UFC events (on April 12 and June 7), which the Skydance CEO failed to disclose in violation of FCC ex parte rules, according to an FCC filing by tech company LiveVideo.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 June 2025
On May 13, Halle Bailey was granted an ex parte restraining order against her ex,— YouTuber DDG, born Darryl Granberry Jr. — alleging multiple instances of domestic violence.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ex parte
Cite this Entry
“Ex parte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ex%20parte. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
ex parte
adverb or adjective
Medieval Latin, on behalf (of)
Share