Legal Definitions - longa manu

longa manu

In legal contexts, longa manu refers to a method of transferring possession or ownership of an item indirectly, often from a distance, rather than through a direct physical handover. It describes a situation where the owner indicates the item to the new owner and authorizes them to take possession, without the original owner physically delivering the item themselves.

• Example 1: Sale of a Vehicle in a Remote Lot

  Imagine a person selling their car, which is currently parked in a distant, secure parking facility. Instead of driving the car to the buyer, they meet the buyer at a separate location, like a coffee shop. There, the seller hands over the car keys, the title, and provides detailed instructions on the car's exact location within the parking facility, authorizing the buyer to retrieve it. This is an example of longa manu because the physical possession of the car is transferred indirectly, through the keys and instructions, rather than by the seller physically delivering the vehicle.

• Example 2: Transfer of a Storage Unit's Contents

  Consider a situation where an individual sells all the items contained within a rented storage unit to another party. Rather than physically removing every item from the unit and handing them over one by one, the seller provides the buyer with the storage unit's key, the access code, and a signed document transferring ownership of the contents. The buyer then proceeds to the storage facility to take possession of the items themselves. This illustrates longa manu because the transfer of possession occurs indirectly, without the seller physically handling or delivering the items.

• Example 3: Sale of Large Equipment on a Construction Site

  A construction company sells a large piece of heavy machinery, such as a bulldozer, that is currently in use at a remote construction site. The sale is finalized at the company's main office, where the seller provides the buyer with the equipment's operational manual, maintenance records, and a formal authorization to collect the bulldozer from the job site. The buyer then dispatches their own team to retrieve the machinery. This demonstrates longa manu as the physical transfer of the large, immovable item is facilitated indirectly through documentation and authorization, rather than a direct physical handover by the seller.