Et Al.
Literal meaning: “And others. (Abbreviation of et alii / et alia.)”
What does the Latin term "Et Al." mean in law?
Et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrases et alii (masculine), et aliae (feminine), or et alia (neuter), meaning 'and others.' In legal writing, it is used to shorten case names, citations, and party lists when there are multiple parties and listing all of them would be cumbersome. Under The Bluebook, et al. may be used in case names in textual sentences when there are more parties than those required by the citation format. It is distinguished from 'et cetera' (and other things), which refers to things rather than persons, and from 'inter alia' (among other things), which introduces a non-exhaustive list.
Source: General · Legal Latin
Legal Definition
Et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrases et alii (masculine), et aliae (feminine), or et alia (neuter), meaning 'and others.' In legal writing, it is used to shorten case names, citations, and party lists when there are multiple parties and listing all of them would be cumbersome. Under The Bluebook, et al. may be used in case names in textual sentences when there are more parties than those required by the citation format. It is distinguished from 'et cetera' (and other things), which refers to things rather than persons, and from 'inter alia' (among other things), which introduces a non-exhaustive list.
How It's Used
Et al. is used constantly in legal citations and case names to abbreviate party lists. It is governed by specific Bluebook rules regarding when it may and may not be used. Law students encounter it in every case citation and legal brief they read.
Example Sentences
The case was styled Johnson et al. v. Smith et al., reflecting the multiple plaintiffs and defendants.
In citations, The Bluebook permits the use of et al. to shorten party names when multiple parties exist on one side.
The petition was filed by the homeowners' association et al., representing over 200 property owners.