What does 'et al.' signify in legal documents?

The phrase "et al." is derived from Latin, meaning "and others." In legal documents, it is commonly used to indicate that there are additional parties involved in a case that are not explicitly named in the document. This can streamline legal writing and reduce repetitiveness by allowing the author to refer to a group of parties without listing each individual name. For example, in a case involving multiple plaintiffs, instead of writing out each name, the lead party can be listed, followed by "et al." to indicate that there are additional plaintiffs. This usage is particularly important in legal contexts to ensure clarity and precision while also acknowledging the presence of additional relevant parties.