Latent ambiguity

Term · Law · MLC-T-LAW-002931

An uncertainty in a written document that does not appear on its face but arises when the terms are applied to external facts or circumstances. The language of the document seems clear until an attempt is made to implement it, revealing a hidden doubt about its meaning. For example, a will leaving property to 'my nephew John' when the testator has two nephews named John.

Table 1. Record
Identifier	MLC-T-LAW-002931
Field	Law

Record as JSON

{
  "id": "MLC-T-LAW-002931",
  "term": "Latent ambiguity",
  "field": "Law",
  "definition": "An uncertainty in a written document that does not appear on its face but arises when the terms are applied to external facts or circumstances. The language of the document seems clear until an attempt is made to implement it, revealing a hidden doubt about its meaning. For example, a will leaving property to 'my nephew John' when the testator has two nephews named John.",
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/law/latent-ambiguity/"
}

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