De facto

De facto  ( English pronunciation: /diː ˈfæktoʊ/ ,  /deɪ/,   Latin pronunciation: [deː ˈfaktoː] ) is a Latin  expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure  (which means "concerning the law") when referring to matters of law, governance, or technique (such as standards ) that are found in the common experience as created or developed without or contrary to a regulation. When discussing a legal  situation,  de jure  designates what the law says, while  de facto  designates action of what happens in practice. It is analogous and similar to the expressions "for all intents and purposes" or "in fact".