IN BONIS ESSE

in bonis esse (in boh-nis es-ee ores-ay). [Latin “to be among the goods”] Roman law. 1. To be someone’s property. 2. (Of property) held in possession without benefit of a solemn act (such as mancipatio) required to transfer ownership, until ownership might be acquired by the passage of time. See bonitary ownership under OWNERSHIP.

[Blacks Law 8th]