Personal Action

In the Civil Law. An action in which one person (the actor) sues another (the reus) in respect of some obligation which he is under to the actor either ex contractu or ex delicto. It will be seen that this includes all actions against a person, without reference to the nature of the property involved. In a limited sense of the word "action" in the civil law, it includes only personal actions, all others being called "petitions." See "Real Action." At Common Law. An action brought for the recovery of personal property, for the enforcement of some contract or to recover damages for its breach, or for the recovery of damages for the commission of an injury to the person or property. Such arise either upon contracts, as account, assumpsit, covenant, debt, and detinue (q. v.), or for wrongs, injuries, or torts, as trespass, trespass on the case, replevin, trover (q. v.) Other divisions of personal actions are made in the various states; and in Vermont and Connecticut an action is in use called the "action of book debt."

71 Me. 287.

See "Action."

See Action.