What is referred to as power over the person in legal terms?

In legal terms, power over the person is defined as "in personam jurisdiction." This concept refers to a court's authority to make decisions affecting a particular individual, as opposed to the subject matter of a case or the geographic area in which the court has authority.

In personam jurisdiction is crucial because it allows courts to impose legal obligations or grant relief against specific individuals within their jurisdiction. This type of jurisdiction is established based on the individual's connections to the area where the court is located, which can include factors like residency, presence, or consent.

In contrast, in rem jurisdiction pertains to the power a court has over a specific piece of property, rather than over an individual, while subject matter jurisdiction relates to the court's authority to hear a particular type of case, such as federal or state law matters. Long arm jurisdiction refers to a court's ability to reach out beyond its normal boundaries to hold a person accountable based on certain actions or contacts they have with the state, but it still operates within the broader framework of in personam jurisdiction. Thus, in personam jurisdiction specifically captures the notion of a court's power over an individual party in a legal context.