WordValeultra vires
beyond the legal power or authority of a person or body
In more detail
1. (adjective or adverb) beyond the legal power or authority of a person, organization, or government; done without the right to do it
2. (adjective or adverb) outside the scope of what is permitted by law or a constitution
Examples
- 1. The court ruled that the agency's decision was ultra vires because the law did not give it that power.
- 2. The president's action was declared ultra vires by the supreme court.
How to use ultra vires
Ultra vires is a formal legal term used in constitutional and administrative law to describe actions that exceed the legal authority of a government body, official, or organization. It appears in both adjective and adverb positions and is standard in court decisions and legal documents. The term emphasizes that an action is not merely unwise or improper, but actually forbidden by law or constitutional limits.
Common phrases
- ultra vires act
- ultra vires power
- ultra vires action
- ruled ultra vires
- held to be ultra vires
Synonyms
beyond one's authority · unauthorized · unlawful · outside one's powers · illegitimate
Opposites
intra vires · authorized · lawful
A common mistake
Learners sometimes treat ultra vires as a noun (e.g., 'committed an ultra vires') when it functions as an adjective or adverb describing an action or ruling; the phrase should be 'an ultra vires act' or 'the act was ultra vires.'
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