ex post facto
adjective/adverb
Pronunciation: ˌɛks poʊst ˈfæktəʊ
Definition
Applying a law or regulation retroactively to actions that were committed before the law was enacted.
Examples
The constitution explicitly prohibits the government from passing ex post facto laws that criminalize past behavior.
He argued that the new tax regulation was being applied in an ex post facto manner to his previous year's earnings.
Legal scholars often debate whether certain administrative changes constitute an ex post facto punishment.
Synonyms of ex post facto
Words with a similar meaning to ex post facto:
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