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It is a fiction, a shade, a nonentity, but a reality for…

“It is a fiction, a shade, a nonentity, but a reality for legal purposes. A corporation aggregate is only in abstracto—it is invisible, immortal, and rests only in intendment and consideration of the law.” quote by Edward Coke
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“It is a fiction, a shade, a nonentity, but a reality for legal purposes. A corporation aggregate is only in abstracto—it is invisible, immortal, and rests only in intendment and consideration of the law.”

Edward Coke

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A corporation is an abstract legal entity, invisible and immortal, existing only through law’s intent and consideration.

In simple terms: Corporations exist as legal constructs, not physical beings.

Key Takeaway

Understand the legal fiction of corporations.

Themes

law corporate entity legal theory

Mood

analytical critical

Type

legal philosophical

When to use this quote

  • business formation
  • contract law
  • regulatory compliance

Key Concepts

Common law jurisprudence

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does corporate personhood affect accountability?
  • What are the limits of legal fictions?
A Different Perspective

The abstraction can obscure real-world impacts of corporate actions.

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