1. Involving or determining the personal rights and obligations of the parties.
2. (Of a legal action) brought against a person rather than property.
— Also termed personal. See action in personam under ACTION(4). Cf. IN REM. [Cases: Courts 10. C.J.S. Courts §§ 39–40.] — in personam, adv.
“An action is said to be in personam when its object is to determine the rights and interests of the parties themselves in the subject-matter of the action, however the action may arise, and the effect of a judgment in such an action is merely to bind the parties to it. A normal action brought by one person against another for breach of contract is a common example of an action in personam.” R.H. Graveson, Conflict of Laws 98 (7th ed. 1974).
