Legal Definitions - absentia

Definition: Absentia means being absent or not present. It can also refer to a legal term where a person is tried and convicted of a crime without being present in court.

Examples:

• John was marked absentia from the meeting because he didn't show up.
• The trial proceeded in absentia because the defendant had fled the country.

The first example shows how absentia can be used to describe someone who is not present. In this case, John didn't attend the meeting and was marked as absentia. The second example shows how absentia can be used in a legal context. The defendant was not present in court, but the trial proceeded and they were convicted in absentia.