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process in rem

Definitions from Case Law · United States Supreme Court

Definitions from Case Law

From 76 U.S. 435 - The Maggie Hammond · 1869Most cited · 171 citing opinions

Process in rem is founded on a right in the thing, and the object of the process is to obtain the thing itself, or a satisfaction out of it, for some claim resting on a real or quasi proprietary right in it.

How the Supreme Court has restated “process in rem”

186118701872 most cited: 76 U.S. 435 - The Maggie Hammond (1869)
first statedrestated (same sense)evolveddeparted

Each Supreme Court definition of “process in rem,” sized by how often later courts cited it. “Change” is measured by wording overlap with earlier definitions — a rough signal, not a semantic judgment.

How often courts cite the cases defining “process in rem”

1860190019502000202044

Court decisions citing the 4 opinions that defined “process in rem” — 307 in all, by decade. Counts are citations to the defining cases as a whole, not verified uses of the term. The dip in the most recent years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the latest years.

All 4 definitions, chronological · 1861–1872

  1. ORIGINAL

    where, upon the principles of the maritime code, the supplies are presumed to be furnished on the credit of the vessel, or where a lien is given by the local law, the party is entitled to proceed in rem in the admiralty court to enforce it; but where the supplies are presumed by the maritime code to be furnished on the personal credit of the owner or master, and the local law gives him no lien, although the contract is maritime, yet he must seek his remedy against the person, and not against the vessel

  2. Process in rem is founded on a right in the thing, and the object of the process is to obtain the thing itself, or a satisfaction out of it, for some claim resting on a real or quasi proprietary right in it.

  3. 1872·84 U.S. 82 - Averill v. Smith[p26]· cited 28×

    Process in rem is founded on a right in the thing, and the object of the process is to obtain the thing itself or a satisfaction out of it, and the executive seizure is required to bring the property within the reach of judicial process