Legal Definitions - de bonis asportatis

De bonis asportatis is a Latin legal phrase that translates to "of goods carried away." In legal contexts, it refers to the wrongful taking and carrying away of another person's personal property without their consent or legal justification. This concept is a specific type of trespass against personal property (also known as chattels), focusing on the physical removal or movement of an item from the owner's possession.

Here are some examples illustrating this legal concept:

• Example 1: Unauthorized Removal of Equipment

  A construction worker, without permission, takes a specialized power tool belonging to their employer from the job site to use on a personal project over the weekend. Even if the worker intends to return the tool, the act of taking and carrying it away without authorization constitutes de bonis asportatis. The employer's personal property was wrongfully removed from their possession.

• Example 2: Taking a Neighbor's Belongings

  During a yard sale, a person mistakenly picks up a valuable antique vase from their neighbor's porch, believing it was part of the items for sale, and carries it to their car. Although the person might not have intended to steal it permanently, the act of physically taking and moving the vase from the neighbor's property without permission is an instance of de bonis asportatis. The neighbor's goods were wrongfully carried away.

• Example 3: Removal of Items from a Rented Property

  A tenant, upon moving out of a rented apartment, decides to take the landlord's built-in microwave oven and a set of custom-made curtains that were explicitly stated as fixtures in the lease agreement. By detaching and removing these items from the property, the tenant has committed de bonis asportatis, as they have wrongfully taken and carried away personal property belonging to the landlord.