What is the term for validating past acts of an agent to establish an agency relationship?

The term for validating past acts of an agent to establish an agency relationship is known as Agency by Ratification. This concept occurs when a principal approves or affirms the actions taken by an agent on their behalf, even though those actions were completed without prior authorization or agreement. By ratifying these actions, the principal effectively creates a legal relationship retroactively, acknowledging the agent's authority to act in that capacity.

This principle allows the principal to benefit from the agent's prior actions and to be bound by them as if the agent had been authorized from the outset. Agency by ratification highlights the flexibility of agency relationships and demonstrates that the principal can validate an agent's actions by explicitly accepting them, even if they initially occurred outside of a formal agreement.

In contrast, the other terms refer to different mechanisms of establishing an agency relationship. For instance, Agency by Estoppel occurs when a principal leads a third party to believe that an individual is acting as their agent, thereby preventing the principal from denying the agency relationship. Agency by Necessity pertains to situations wherein an agent must act without prior approval due to emergency circumstances. Agency by Agreement involves a formal or informal agreement to create the agency relationship from the start. Each of these concepts has its unique applications and requirements,