Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A directive requiring that a text, rule, or set of facts be recited completely rather than summarized.
Sources & Authorities· 20 primary sources
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Statutes
Uniform Acts
How it applies
Common Examples
6
Obligee Accepts Full Performance
Adrian Aguilar contracted with Ashford Manufacturing to supply components. When partial delivery became impracticable, Adrian agreed ad longum to accept the remaining goods and let Ashford keep prior payments. The agreement resolved the dispute without further claims.
Payor Steps Into Mortgage Rights
Aisha Ahmed paid off Alliance Holdings' mortgage on Azure Solutions' property. The payment triggered subrogation ad longum, assigning the mortgage to Aisha by operation of law so she could enforce it against junior interests.
Amelia Amari sued Alexis Archer in a distant forum. The court required notice ad longum through publication after confirming Archer had no contacts with the state, satisfying due process before entering judgment.
Pennoyer v. Neff95 U.S. 714, 732–33 (1878)
Federal Power Enumerated
Andrew Avery challenged a state tax on a federal bank. The opinion recited the Constitution's enumerated powers ad longum to show Congress could create the bank while states could not tax it.
McCulloch v. Maryland17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 316 (1819)
Zoning Ordinance Sustained
Ariana Azizi's company challenged a village zoning plan. The court reviewed the comprehensive scheme ad longum and upheld it as a valid exercise of police power advancing public welfare.
Village of Euclid Ohio v. Ambler Realty Co.272 U.S. 365, 47 S.Ct. 114, 71 L.Ed 303 (1926)
Confrontation Clause Applied
Astra Aerospace faced prosecution after an unavailable witness's prior statements were offered. The court examined the testimonial statements ad longum and excluded them because cross-examination had never occurred.
Crawford v. Washington541 U.S. 36 (2004)
Common questions
Frequently Asked
1
What does ad longum mean in historical legal texts?+
It means at length or in full detail. The phrase appears in older authorities to signal that a rule or facts are being stated completely rather than summarized.
410 U.S. 113 (1973)Constitutional Law
…argue that the fetus is a "person" within the language and meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. In support of this, they outline at length and in detail the well-known facts of fetal development. If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then…