possessio

Possessio is a Latin term that denotes possession, the factual control of a thing or property, typically accompanied by an intention to hold it as one’s own. The word comes from possessio, reflecting the act of possessing rather than the legal title to it. In legal contexts, possessio is distinguished from dominium or ownership.

In classical Roman law, possessio referred to the actual exercise of control over a thing, regardless of the owner’s rights. A possessor could hold property even if someone else owned it, and possession could be protected by legal means such as interdicts. Roman law also recognized usucapio, the rule by which long, uninterrupted possession could culminate in ownership. Thus possession in Roman law was a sufficient basis for certain rights and protections, independent of formal ownership.

In modern civil-law jurisdictions, possessio remains a defined legal state distinct from ownership. It involves corpus (physical control) and animus possidendi (the intention to possess). A possessor may acquire or defend rights against third parties through possessory actions and interdicts, and continued possession over a statutory period can lead to acquisition of title by usucapio or prescription. Possession can be in good faith or bad faith, depending on the jurisdiction, and different regimes address disturbances, evictions, and remedies for persons who lose or gain control of a thing.

Overall, possessio centers on the actual control of property and the intent to hold it, serving as a basis for legal protection and, in some systems, for acquiring ownership through time.