Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
An expression of choice or preference by which a person participates in a legal decision, election, or official proceeding.
Sources & Authorities· 31 primary sources
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Cases
Statutes
How it applies
Common Examples
6
State Denial of Women's Votum
Viktor Voronin, a state official, issues a directive barring Vanessa Vega from casting her votum in a federal election solely because she is a woman. Vega sues, claiming the directive violates her protected votum. The court invalidates the directive because it abridges the right to votum on account of sex.
Legislator Injury from Nullified Votum
Vivian Velez and two other legislators vote against a bill. The lieutenant governor casts a tie-breaking votum in favor, enacting the measure. Velez sues, alleging the executive action nullified her votum and caused concrete injury. The court recognizes standing because the nullification inflicted a personal injury on the legislators who voted the other way.
Valor Capital admits a new limited partner. The admission occurs only after all existing partners give their affirmative votum. Without that unanimous votum the admission would be invalid under the governing statute.
General Partnership Admission by Votum
Vega Motors seeks to add a new partner. The partnership agreement is silent, so admission requires the affirmative votum of all existing partners. The new partner is admitted only after every partner casts that votum.
Grand Jury Matter Disclosure After Votum
After the grand jury returns an indictment, a prosecutor seeks to disclose a witness statement to assisting government personnel. The disclosure excludes the grand jurors' own votum and deliberations. The rule permits the limited disclosure because it does not reveal any juror's votum.
Shareholder Meeting Notice for Votum
Villanueva Construction schedules its annual meeting at which shareholders will cast their votum on director elections. The corporation mails notice to all shareholders entitled to vote at least fourteen days before the meeting date. The notice satisfies the timing and content requirements for the votum.
Common questions
Frequently Asked
1
What does the Latin term votum historically denote in legal usage?+
It denotes a vow or promise made in a legal or religious context.
376 U.S. 254 (1964)Remedies
…The text concluded with an appeal for funds for three purposes: support of the student movement, "the struggle for the right-to-vote," and the legal defense of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of the movement, against a perjury indictment then pending in Montgomery. The text appeared over the names of 64 persons,…