Legal Definitions - personable

In a legal context, the term personable refers to an entity that possesses the legal status of a "person." This status grants the entity certain fundamental rights and responsibilities under the law, similar to those of a human being, allowing it to act independently in legal matters.

Specifically, a personable entity has the capacity to:

• Enter into legally binding contracts.
• Own property and assets.
• Sue others in court.
• Be sued by others in court.
• Incur debts and obligations.

This concept is crucial because it determines which entities can participate directly in the legal system.

Examples:

• A Corporation: When a company like "Global Innovations Inc." signs a lease agreement for office space, purchases manufacturing equipment, or is sued by a former employee for wrongful termination, it is acting as a personable entity. The corporation, as a distinct legal person separate from its owners or employees, has the legal capacity to enter into contracts, own property, and engage in litigation.

  This illustrates the term because "Global Innovations Inc." possesses the legal standing to perform actions typically associated with an individual, such as owning assets and participating in court proceedings, due to its status as a legal person.

• An Individual Human Being: When Sarah, an adult, signs a mortgage agreement to buy a house, opens a bank account, or files a lawsuit against a contractor for shoddy work, she is acting as a personable entity. As a natural person, Sarah inherently has the legal capacity to enter into agreements, own property, and engage with the justice system.

  This demonstrates the term by showing that a human being, from birth, is recognized as a legal person with the inherent rights and responsibilities to engage in legal transactions and actions.

• A Registered Non-Profit Organization: Consider "Community Outreach Foundation," a registered charity. This foundation can receive donations, purchase a building to house its operations, employ staff, and even be held liable if one of its employees causes an accident while on duty. The foundation, as an organization, has been granted legal personhood.

  This example highlights the term by showing that even an organization without profit motives can be recognized as a distinct legal entity, capable of owning property, entering contracts, and bearing legal responsibility, much like an individual or a for-profit corporation.