''Pro tempore'' (), abbreviated ''pro tem'' or ''p.t.'', is a
Latin phrase
This is a list of Wikipedia articles of Latin phrases and their translation into English.
To view all phrases on a single, lengthy document, see: List of Latin phrases (full).
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which best translates to 'for the time being' in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a ''
locum tenens'' ('placeholder'). The phrase is also used to describe officers appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the formalisation of their appointments.
Mayor pro tem
A common use of ''pro tempore'' in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
is in
municipal
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the gov ...
ities such as
cities
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
and
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
s with regard to the position of the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
. In many cities, the
city council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
appoints one of its members (often its president) to act as mayor ''pro tempore'' (''pro tem'') (or vice mayor) in the absence of the actual mayor.
Judge pro tem
In judicial
court
A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and Administration of justice, administer justice in Civil law (common law), civil, Criminal law, criminal, an ...
s, attorneys that volunteer in proceedings are called "judge pro tem" or judge pro tempore, though they may be paid in some circumstances. They typically have to meet some basic criteria to qualify, and often serve as neutrals or mediators in alternative dispute resolution processes. Among other things, they can also serve as masters and interim judges.
Academic Leaders - President, Vice-president, Dean pro tem
Universities
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
sometimes appoint senior positions such as presidents, vice presidents or heads of faculties temporarily until ratified by a board of governors or senate committee. These positions are titled "President pro tempore", "Vice-President pro tempore" or "Dean pro tempore".
In the US Congress
The
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
The president pro tempore of the United States Senate (often shortened to president pro tem) is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate, after the Vice President of the United States, vice president. According to Articl ...
presides over the
senate when the
Vice President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the Executive branch of the United States government, executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks f ...
is unable to. These two roles were established in
Article One, Section Three of the
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally includi ...
. The first to hold this position was
John Langdon for four months in 1788; he also served in the same position for 13 months in 1792-93.
The
Speaker pro tempore of the United States House of Representatives was a position created after 2001, and the first to hold the position was
Patrick McHenry
Patrick Timothy McHenry (born October 22, 1975) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2005 to 2025, which includes the communities of Hickory, North Carolina, Hickory and Mooresville, North Carolina, Mooresvi ...
in October 2023.
See also
*''
Ex tempore''
References
Latin legal terminology
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