What Do De Facto and De Jure Mean?

DE FACTO

Adverbial & adjectival phrase. Early 17th century.

[Latin = of fact.]

(Existing, held, etc.) in fact, in reality;

in actual existence, force, or possession, whether by right or not.

DE JURE

Adverbial & adjectival phrase. Mid-16th century.

[Latin = of law.]

(Existing, held, etc.) rightfully, according to law (frequently as opposed to de facto).

Two terms that seem to appear with increasing frequency in news reports are de facto and de jure, as in the headline: Russia executes de facto takeover of Crimea. This means that, regardless of legal standing, Russia has taken over and is now governing Crimea, even if if it remains part of the Ukraine de jure.

Another example is that of my friend Heather, whose de jure name is Mary, because at her christening the Catholic priest refused to accept a pagan name like Heather. Thus, de jure (legally), her name is Mary, as recorded on her birth certificate and all other official documentation, but de facto (in reality and practice) her name is Heather, because that's what we all use, know her by and love her as.

Do you have any examples of de facto and de jure?

Do please leave any comments or examples in the box below.