Legal Personality — Persons

Salmond's definition of Person: 'A person is any being whom the law regards as capable of rights or duties. Any being that is so capable is a person, whether a human being or not, and no being capable is a person, even though he is a man.'

• The term 'person' is derived from the Latin term persona, meaning 'mask' (not 'human being').

Classification of Persons:

• Natural Person: A human being capable of rights and duties.
• Legal, Juristic, or Fictitious Person:

- Corporation — Aggregate, Sole

- Fund or Estate

- Institution

Related concepts:

• A firm is an incorporated association.
• An unborn child has legal status so far as rights of the unborn child are concerned.
• A libel upon a dead man is punishable to defend the right of the descendants of the dead man.