(law) In a lawsuit against a specific individual, a summons and complaint to give the court jurisdiction that is served to a person to try a case. In personam means that a judgment can be enforceable against the person wherever he/she is.

(law, archaic) Common law doctrine holding that personal property held by a person is governed by the same law that governs that person, so that if a person who is legally domiciled in one jurisdiction dies with property in a second jurisdiction, that property is legally treated as though it were in the first jurisdiction.