possession is nine points of the law
possession is nine points of the law is the dated form of possession is nine-tenths of the law.
Meaning of possession is nine-tenths of the law
Proverb
possession is nine-tenths of the law
- One who has possession of a thing has some right to it; a popular statement of the doctrine of adverse possession.
Origin of possession is nine points of the law
Unknown. Presumably derives from legal principle where the satisfaction of 10 (or at times 12) points legitimated ownership; hence “nine points of the law” (sometimes “eleven points of the law”) constituted close to full ownership. Derived from the early English property system, where the right to possession of property was endorsed by the king in the form of a writ. There were nine traditional writs granted by the King, and each of these nine writs represented the nine basic rights of property possession. These nine writs evolved into the nine original laws defining property ownership, hence the expression "possession is nine points in the law." Listed in the form “Possession is nine points in the Law.” as a common saying in 1616 by Thomas Draxe, Adages 163.
Questions about possession is nine points of the law
- What is possession is nine points of the law the dated form of?
- Possession is nine points of the law is the dated form of possession is nine-tenths of the law.
Words near possession is nine points of the law in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: possession is nine points of the law (page history and authors); possession is nine-tenths of the law (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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