(law) in fact; by the act or fact

By that very fact itself; actually. Compare: eo ipso.

(modal) In practice; in actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status.

In fact or in practice; in actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status. (Often opposed to de jure.)

(Australia, New Zealand) A legally undeclared spouse; a partner in a spousal relationship which is not officially declared as a marriage, comparable to a common law husband or wife.

plural of de facto

Retroactive. / (law) Formulated or enacted after some event, and then retroactively applied to it.

(law) A business entity that is treated as a corporation for certain purposes despite its failure to meet all of the formal requirements imposed by law for a corporation to exist.

plural of de facto corporation

(obsolete) A doer, maker; a person who does things for another person or organization. / An agent or representative. / A commission agent.