Also known as: exempli gratia · e.g. · eg · ex. gr. · for example · for instance
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A Latin phrase meaning for example and commonly abbreviated e.g. Modern legal drafting prefers the English equivalent to promote clarity and avoid unnecessary foreign expressions.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Elijah Edwards contracted to sell land to Emmett Egan. An unreleased lien remained on the property at closing, e.g., a recorded mortgage. Egan refused to close because the title failed to meet the required standard of being free from reasonable doubt.
Emma Erickson petitioned the court for support after Eugene Ellsworth stopped providing funds. The court examined the need of one spouse and the ability of the other to pay, e.g., for necessaries. Erickson received an award of alimony during the separation proceedings.
Ewan Eckhart owned land in State X and sold it to Ezra Eastman. A dispute arose over title validity. The forum court applied the full law of State X including its choice-of-law rules, e.g., to reach the same result a State X court would reach.
Everlasting Insurance sold property to Echelon Security subject to an unrecorded easement. The buyer discovered the outstanding interest before closing, e.g., an easement or covenant. Echelon Security rescinded the contract because the seller could not cure the defect.
Edgewater Capital contracted to buy a building from Everest Holdings. A fire destroyed the structure before closing. Edgewater Capital remained obligated to pay the full purchase price under the majority rule on risk of loss, e.g., by fire.
Elijah Edwards sold land to Emma Erickson under an executory contract. Edwards retained legal title while Erickson gained an equitable interest. Rents accruing during the executory period belonged to Erickson as the equitable owner, e.g., rents and taxes.
The phrase is a foreign expression that can be replaced by the plain English term for example without any loss of meaning. Legal drafting guides recommend the substitution to improve readability and eliminate unnecessary Latin.
The recommended replacement is the English phrase for example. This substitution aligns with the preference for plain language in contemporary legal writing.
…legal rights to the unborn except in narrowly defined situations and except when the rights are contingent upon live birth. For example, the traditional rule of tort law denied recovery for prenatal injuries even though the child was born alive.[^maj-63] That rule has been changed in almost every jurisdiction. In most…