Also known as:in uno flatu · in one breath · simultaneously
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A Latin phrase indicating that multiple actions or events occur simultaneously or in a single utterance.
Sources & Authorities· 16 primary sources
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Cases
Statutes
Federal Rules
How it applies
Common Examples
6
Simultaneous Remainder Creation
Uriel Urban conveyed Blackacre to his son for life, then to his grandson in fee simple. The deed created both estates uno flatu. The grandson's remainder became possessory immediately upon the son's death without divesting any other interest.
Self-Proved Will Execution
Ulysses Usher signed his will before two witnesses and a notary. The testator and witnesses completed the acknowledgment and affidavits uno flatu before the authorized officer. The will qualified as self-proved under the statutory form.
Remote Board Participation
Una Ueda and two other directors joined a board meeting by video conference. All three heard one another simultaneously during the session. Each director counted as present in person for quorum and voting purposes.
Umar Underwood's firm represented Upstream Petroleum in a contract dispute while suing the same client in an unrelated tort action. The representations occurred uno flatu in separate offices. The court treated the conflict as per se improper absent informed consent.
Multiple Corporate Offices
Uma Underwood served as both president and treasurer of Urban Logistics. The bylaws permitted one individual to hold both positions uno flatu. The dual role created no automatic conflict with the statute.
Co-Conspirator Statement Timing
Urban Utley and a co-defendant made statements during a single recorded meeting. The statements were treated as made uno flatu for purposes of the conspiracy exception. The trial court admitted both under the same evidentiary ruling.
Bourjaily v. United States483 U.S. 171, 107 S.Ct. 2775, 97 L.Ed.2d 144 (1987)
Common questions
Frequently Asked
3
Does uno flatu require literal simultaneity or merely close temporal proximity?+
The phrase denotes actions occurring at the same moment, as when estates are created in one instrument or when a will is executed and self-proved before the same officer.
Supporting sources
Can uno flatu apply to actions by different parties in separate locations?+
Yes. Directors participating by video or attorneys in different offices can act uno flatu when the governing rule treats their conduct as occurring at the same time for legal effect.
Is the phrase limited to property and probate contexts?+
No. The maxim appears in corporate, evidence, and professional responsibility settings whenever the law attaches significance to events happening at one time.
410 U.S. 113 (1973)Constitutional Law
…declaratory and injunctive relief with respect to the same statutes under which he stands charged in criminal prosecutions simultaneously pending in state court. Although he stated that he has been arrested in the past for violating the State's abortion laws, he makes no allegation of any substantial and immediate threat to…