Ac Etiam Law and Legal Definition
Ac Etiam is a Latin word which means “and also” and was used in common-law pleading. These words were used to introduce a genuine claim in a pleading in a common-law case in which a fictitious claim had to be alleged to give the court jurisdiction. This phrase directed the court to the real cause of action. In other words, in order to give jurisdiction to a court, a cause of action over which the court has jurisdiction is alleged, and also, (ac etiam) another cause of action over which, without being joined with the first, the court would have no jurisdiction.
This also refers to a clause that introduced the real allegation after a fictitious allegation of trespass. In this sense it is also termed as ac etiam clause.
