Legal Definitions - Possession

Definition: Possession means owning, controlling, or occupying something, such as an object, asset, or property.

For example, in Missouri, possession is defined as having custody or control over something that can be owned or controlled, either personally or through someone else. There are two types of possession:

• Actual possession: This is when someone physically has control over an object. For instance, if you are holding a book, you have actual possession of it.
• Constructive possession: This is when someone has knowledge of an object and the ability to control it, even if they don't have physical contact with it. For example, if you have the keys to a car, you have constructive possession of it, even if the car is parked somewhere else.

Constructive possession is often used in criminal cases to prove that someone had control over illegal substances or weapons, even if they weren't physically holding them at the time.