Dictionary

In rem

In rem is Latin for ‘related to a thing’. In law, it refers to a right or an action over property that is enforceable against the world, and may also be referred to as general liability. This is in contrast to a right or action in personam. A judgment in rem affirms the rights of the plaintiff against all others, not only the litigants in the matter, and therefore an in rem judgment can be identified by whether it binds third parties.

All legal rights can be classified as either in personam or in rem.

Examples of in rem legal rights include property rights, easements, and status.