The Latin phrase in toto, which means “in toto”, means “in totality” or “completely.” In legal proceedings, an argument accepted in toto means that the judge accepts the entire argument. This phrase is often used in the context of contract rescission, where a party may revoke a contract only if it is rescinded in toto. Its use in these legal contexts dates back to Lyon v. Bertram (1857), which was followed by the Fifth Circuit in Quest Medical, Inc. v. Apprill (1993), which was a case that involved a contract rescinded in toto as well.
Although in toto has been around for some time, it is only recently that it has received widespread media coverage. Its use in the news is growing, but it is still largely confined to the world of IT. For the rest of us, it’s a term that’s hard to decipher. Luckily, in toto is an open metadata standard, and it can be implemented in the software supply chain toolchain.
