In law and government, de jure (; pronounced as /la/;) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with de facto ('from fact'), which describes situations that exist in reality, even if not formally recognized.[1]
De jure is a Latin expression composed of the words de ("from, of") and jure ("law", adjectival form of jus). Thus, it is descriptive of a structural argument or position derived "from law".[2] [3]
See also: Unenforced law.
In U.S. law, particularly after Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the difference between de facto segregation (that existed because of voluntary associations and neighborhoods) and de jure segregation (that existed because of local laws) became important distinctions for court-mandated remedial purposes.[4]
Between 1805 and 1914, the Muhammad Ali dynasty of Egypt were de jure subject to the rulers of the Ottoman Empire, meaning they were formally considered to be under the rule of the Ottomans. However, in practice, they acted as de facto rulers, as they were able to maintain a large degree of independence in their governance of Egypt.[5]
The de jure borders of a country are defined by the area its government claims, but not necessarily controls. Modern examples include Taiwan (claimed but not controlled by China)[6] and Kashmir (claimed by multiple countries).
