noun
- the quality or state of taking effect from a date in the past rather than from the present or future
Usage: legal; formal
Examples
- The retroactivity of the new tax law meant it applied to income earned earlier in the year.
- Constitutional scholars debated the retroactivity of the criminal statute.
- The contract clause prohibited any retroactivity in penalty assessments.
- Courts generally disfavor the retroactivity of legislation that creates new obligations.
- The retroactivity provision was challenged as unfair to existing businesses.
- Legal experts questioned whether retroactivity was appropriate in this case.