Legal Definitions - biens

Biens is a French legal term that refers broadly to property or assets. In civil law jurisdictions, which are prevalent in many countries worldwide (such as France, Quebec, and Louisiana in the United States), "biens" typically encompasses all types of assets. This includes both:

• Movable property (also known as personal property), such as vehicles, furniture, money, and personal belongings.
• Immovable property (also known as real property or real estate), such as land, houses, and commercial buildings.

It is a comprehensive term used to describe one's possessions, estate, or the collective assets of an entity.

Examples:

• Estate Planning: In a will drafted under Quebec law (a civil law jurisdiction), a person might specify how their "biens" are to be distributed among their heirs. This would include their primary residence, their investment portfolio, their car, and all their personal effects. This example illustrates how "biens" encompasses the entire collection of a deceased person's assets, both real estate and personal property, for the purpose of inheritance.

• Business Transactions: When a manufacturing company in France is acquired, the sale agreement would meticulously list all the "biens" being transferred. This list would include the factory building, the land it sits on, all the machinery and equipment, the existing inventory of raw materials and finished products, and even intangible assets like patents. Here, "biens" demonstrates its comprehensive scope by covering both the physical real estate and various movable and intellectual assets involved in a commercial enterprise.

• Marital Property Division: A couple divorcing in Louisiana, a state that follows civil law principles, would need to divide their community "biens." This would typically include the family home purchased during the marriage, joint bank accounts, vehicles acquired together, and any other assets accumulated during their union. This example highlights "biens" as the collective property accumulated by a married couple, encompassing both real estate and personal possessions, which is subject to division under civil law principles during a divorce.