relation back

noun

re·​la·​tion back
: the assigning of a prior date (as the date of execution of a document) to an act (as filing of a document and especially a pleading) as the time of its effect especially to avoid a time limit
the relation back of amendments to the date of the original pleading
also : the legal fiction that an action (as the filing of a document) was taken on a previous date to avoid the expiration of a time limit

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Cite this Entry

“Relation back.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/relation%20back. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

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