Legal Definitions - chose

Definition: Chose refers to a thing, whether it is a physical object or not. It can also refer to personal property that someone owns but someone else possesses. Chose in action is a proprietary right in personam, such as a debt owed by another person, a share in a joint-stock company, or a claim for damages in tort. Chose in possession refers to personal property for which title and possession unite in the same person. Chose local is a fixed chattel, while chose transitory is a movable chattel.

• A car is an example of a chose because it is a tangible object that someone can own.
• A debt owed by someone else is an example of a chose in action because it is a personal right that can only be claimed or enforced by legal action.
• A share in a company is also an example of a chose in action because it is a proprietary right in personam.
• A bicycle is an example of a chose transitory because it is a movable chattel.
• A house is an example of a chose local because it is a fixed chattel.

These examples illustrate how the term chose can refer to a wide range of things, both tangible and intangible. It can also refer to personal property that someone owns but someone else possesses, which can be reclaimed through legal action. The different types of choses, such as chose in action and chose in possession, help to categorize and define different types of personal property.