Latin meaning By the fact itself something so obvious on its face that it doesn’t need explanation, for example, that a certifiably insane individual does not have the capacity to enter into a binding legal contract by himself. 2. This phrase is frequently employed to convey the idea that something which has been done contrary to law is void. For example, if a married man, during the life of his wife, of which he had knowledge, should marry another woman, the latter marriage would be void ipso facto; that is, on that fact being proved, the second marriage would be declared void ab initio.