Pro Forma
Literal meaning: “For the sake of form; as a matter of form”
What does the Latin term "Pro Forma" mean in law?
Pro forma describes an action, document, or proceeding done as a formality or for the sake of compliance with required procedure, often without substantive deliberation. In legislative practice, a pro forma session is a brief meeting held solely to satisfy a constitutional requirement that a body not adjourn for more than a specified period, without conducting any substantive business. In corporate and securities law, pro forma financial statements present financial information adjusted to reflect hypothetical conditions, such as the projected effect of a proposed merger. A pro forma ruling may be one that a court issues routinely without extended analysis, such as granting an uncontested motion. The term signals that the form rather than the substance of the action is what matters.
Source: General · Legal Latin
Legal Definition
Pro forma describes an action, document, or proceeding done as a formality or for the sake of compliance with required procedure, often without substantive deliberation. In legislative practice, a pro forma session is a brief meeting held solely to satisfy a constitutional requirement that a body not adjourn for more than a specified period, without conducting any substantive business. In corporate and securities law, pro forma financial statements present financial information adjusted to reflect hypothetical conditions, such as the projected effect of a proposed merger. A pro forma ruling may be one that a court issues routinely without extended analysis, such as granting an uncontested motion. The term signals that the form rather than the substance of the action is what matters.
How It's Used
Attorneys encounter pro forma in contexts ranging from corporate finance to legislative procedure. In practice, the term often signals that a particular step is a procedural formality rather than a substantive decision point.
Example Sentences
The Senate held pro forma sessions every three days to prevent the President from making recess appointments.
The company issued pro forma financial statements showing what its balance sheet would look like after the proposed acquisition closed.
The court granted the pro forma motion to extend the briefing schedule without requiring oral argument or a substantive showing of good cause.