- in personam
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in per·so·nam /ˌin-pər-'sō-nəm/ adv or adj [Latin, against a person]: against a person for the purpose of imposing a liability or obligation to do or not do somethingan action in personam
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.
- in personam
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adj.(Latin) Against a person; describes actions concerning the personal rights and liability of a person or jurisdiction over a particular person, as opposed to jurisdiction over property.See also in remadv.in personam
The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008.
- in personam
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(in-purr-soh-nam) Latin for "against a person." In a lawsuit against a specific person, this concept means the defendant must be served with a summons and complaint to give the court jurisdiction to try the case, and the judgment the court applies to that person only. Compare: in remCategory: Small Claims Court & Lawsuits
Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary. Gerald N. Hill, Kathleen Thompson Hill. 2009.
- in personam
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adj. Latin Pertaining to a person or personal rights or interests, as opposed to in rem.
Webster's New World Law Dictionary. Susan Ellis Wild. 2000.
- in personam
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(Latin: Against the person.)A lawsuit seeking a judgment to be enforceable specifically against an individual person.
Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.
- in personam
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I
[Latin, Against the person.] A lawsuit seeking a judgment to be enforceable specifically against an individual person.II Against a certain person; against the person.
Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.
- in personam
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adj.[in purr-soh-nam]from Latin for "directed toward a particular person." In a lawsuit in which the case is against a specific individual, that person must be served with a summons and complaint to give the court jurisdiction to try the case, and the judgment applies to that person and is called an "in personam judgment." In personam is distinguished from in rem, which applies to property or "all the world" instead of a specific person. This technical distinction is important to determine where to file a lawsuit and how to serve a defendant. In personam means that a judgment can be enforceable against the person wherever he/she is. On the other hand, if the lawsuit is to determine title to property (in rem) then the action must be filed where the property exists and is only enforceable there.
Law dictionary. EdwART. 2013.