**Force and Effect** (phrase) — A legal expression indicating that a document, provision, or legal instrument is valid, operative, and binding according to law, having full legal authority and producing its intended legal consequences.
When a legal document is "in force and effect" or has "full force and effect," it means the document is valid and working exactly as it's supposed to. It's not expired, it hasn't been revoked, and it has the full legal power it was meant to have.
You'll often see this phrase in legal documents and statutes. A will might state that it revokes all previous wills and is now "of full force and effect." A power of attorney might say it "shall remain in full force and effect" until revoked or until the donor dies. The phrase is essentially emphasizing that the document is legally valid and operative.
The phrase is somewhat redundant, which is typical of legal language. "Force" and "effect" mean essentially the same thing in this context. Lawyers use both words together for emphasis and clarity, following a long tradition of pairing similar terms in legal writing.
⏱ When you'll encounter this term
In estate planning documents, references to force and effect typically appear when discussing validity, revocation, or duration. A will might declare it is "made in full force and effect" to emphasize its validity. A power of attorney might specify conditions under which it remains "in force and effect."
The phrase also appears when discussing whether old documents remain valid. If you make a new will, your old will is no longer "in force and effect" because the new will revoked it. If you revoke a power of attorney, it no longer has "force and effect" and your attorney can no longer act under it.
Understanding this phrase helps you read and interpret legal documents. When you see language about something being "in full force and effect," it's simply confirming that the document or provision is valid and operative. When a document says it "shall remain in force and effect until" a certain event, it's specifying how long the document stays valid.
**Related terms:** [Revocation](/dictionary/revocation), Validity, Operative
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