Officer de facto

As distinguished from an officer de jure, this is the designation of one who is in the actual possession and administration of the office, under some colorable or apparent authority, although his title to the same, whether by election or appointment, is in reality invalid or at least formally questioned.

See Norton v. Shelby County, 118 U. S. 425 , 6 Sup. Ct. 1121, 30 L. Ed. 78; State v. Carroll. 38 Conn. 449, 9 Am. Rep. 409; Trenton v. McDaniel. 52 N. C. 107; Barlow v. Stanford, 82 111. 298; Brown v. Lunt. 37 Me. 423; Gregg Tp. v. Jamison, 55 Pa. 468; Pierce v. Edington, 38 Ark. 150; Plymouth v. Painter, 17 Conn. 585, 44 Am. Dec. 574; Prescott v. Hayes, 42 N. H. 56; Jewell v. Gilbert, 64 N. H. 12, 5 Atl. 80, 10 Am. St. Rep. 357; Griffin v. Cunningham, 20 Grat. (Va.) 31; Ex parte Strang, 21 Ohio St. 610.