Legal Definitions - habere

Term: habere
Definition: Habere is a Latin word that means "to have" or "to possess". In Roman law, it refers to having the right to something. It can also refer to holding something that you do not own. Sometimes, it is used to describe property that has been deposited with someone.
Examples:

• John has the right to inherit his father's estate.
• Even though the car belongs to Mary, Tom holds it for her while she is out of town.
• The bank has the property that was deposited by the customer.

These examples illustrate how habere can refer to having the right to something or holding something that you do not own. In the first example, John has the right to inherit his father's estate. In the second example, Tom holds Mary's car for her, but he does not own it. In the third example, the bank has property that was deposited by a customer, but the bank does not own the property.