E.&O.E., or “Errors and Omissions Excepted,” is a bit of trade jargon commonly used in financial service industries. It means that the author cannot be held liable for errors and omissions (if any) shown on the statement.

For example, when you wish to discharge a mortgage, the mortgagee bank will fax you a statement showing clearly  how much is owed on the property as of the closing date. Because these tasks are generally handled by clerks who in turn rely on computer print out, by indicating “E.&O.E.” the bank disclaims any mistakes the clerk or the computer may have made.

Legally speaking, however, the E.&O.E. disclaimer is far from absolute. While it may offer the company a right to hire a lawyer to disclaim liability, whether the disclaimer actually holds weight in front of a judge or not is an entirely different matter.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for information and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be regarded as such. E. & O.E.