The article examines the legal nature of possession. The author identifies two major approaches to the definition of possession. Namely, in legal literature possession is defined as the factual state or as the right. The author justifies the difference in doctrinal approaches to the definition of possession by the relevant legislative provisions: in some acts of civil law possession is regarded as the right, and in others – as the factual state (andat the same time, in most of the codes it has no direct relation either to the factual state or to the right, and the task of interpretation is assigned to theorists). The author pays special attention to the categories “lawful possession” and “unlawful possession”. The article also focuses on the third approach used to define the legal nature of possession, according to which possession is the factual state which generates rights.

According to the findings of the research, the author concludes that in the Civil Code of the Republic of Moldova (Moldova’s CC) possession has a legal nature. Thus, possession is defined as the factual state which generates legal consequences. The following arguments are given in support of this position: 1) the provisions of Moldova’s CC prescribe that possession is acquired as a result of intended implementation of factual possession of a thing, without indicating that possession is the factual state; 2) Moldova’s CC does not allow making an unambiguous conclusion that possession is a right in rem; 3) Moldova’s CC regulates four legal consequences of ownership: a) presumption of ownership; b) acquisition of fruits by a bona fide owner; c) protection of possession by means of ownership claims; d) acquisition of possession due to usucaption. Accordingly, the author believes that possession is the factual state generating legal consequences; 4) while assuming that possession is the factual state generating legal consequences, this does not mean that it should be considered both as the factual state and as the right. Furthermore, the author does not allow a confusion between the legal consequences of possession and its prerogatives as an element which is a part of the legal content of a certain right in rem. KEYWORDS: possession; lawful possession; unlawful possession; bona fide possession, Civil Code of the Republic of Moldova.

Bibliography

Authored books

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2. Boar A, Uzucapiunea, prescripţia, posesia şi publicitatea drepturilor (Lumina LEX 1999) (in Romanian).

3. Filipescu Ion P, Filipescu Andrei I, Drept civil. Dreptul de proprietate şi alte drepturi reale (ACTAMI 2000) (in Romanian).

4. Gherasim D, Teoria generală a posesiei în dreptul civil român (Academiei Republicii Socialiste România 1986) (in Romanian).

5. Hamangiu C and Rosetti Bălănescu I, Băicoianu Al, Tratat de drept civil român (V I Editura ALL 1996) (in Romanian).

6. Lucian I, Drept civil român. Drepturi reale (Augusta 1997) (in Romanian).

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8. Scrieciu F, Acţiunile posesorii (Editura Lumina LEX 1998) (in Romanian).

9. Stătescu Constantin, Corneliu Bîrsan, Drept civil. Drepturile reale (1988) (in Romanian). 10. Babaev A, Sistema veshhnyh prav [System of Rights in Rem] (2006) (in Russian).

11. Demchenko V, Russkoe grazhdanskoe pravo. Pravo veshhnoe [Russian Civil Law. Right in Rem] (1894) (in Russian).

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Edited books

18. Bîrsan C, Drept civil. Drepturile reale principale (în reglementarea noului Cod civil) (2013) (in Romanian).

19. Rodiere R, ‘Possession’ in Encyclopedie juridique (Dalloz, Droit civil) vol V, nr, 6, apud. (in Romanian).

20. Stoica V, Drept civil. Drepturile reale principale Vol 1 (2004) (in Romanian).

21. Viorel T, Acţiunile posesorii (Editura C. H. Beck 2006) (in Romanian).

22. Vlachide P, Repetiția principiilor de drept civil (Europa Nova 1994) (in Romanian).

Journal articles

23. ‘Posesia ca stare de fapt protejată juridic’ (2003) 4 Curierul judiciar 140-1 (in Romanian).

24. Egorov H, ‘Ponjatie imushhestvennogo pravootnoshenija’ [‘The Concept of Property Relations’] [1980] 4(23) Vestnik LGU 60-2 (in Russian).