ANTE LITEM MOTAM

ante  litem  motam  (an-tee  lI-tem  moh-t<<schwa>>m).  [Law  Latin  “before  the  lawsuit  was

started”] Hist. Before an action has been raised; before a legal dispute arose — i.e., at a time when

the declarant had no motive to lie. • This phrase was generally used in reference to the evidentiary

requirement  that  the  acts  upon  which  an  action  is  based  occur  before  the  action  is  brought.  In

Scotland, the phrase also referred to the obligation of an estate intromitter to become confirmed as

executor  of  the  estate  before a  creditor  could  sue  the  estate. Otherwise,  the  intromitter  could  be

held personally liable for the decedent’s debts. — Sometimes shortened to ante litem. [Blacks Law 8th]