personal action

1 :  an action under a civil law system for the enforcement of an obligation which therefore must be brought against the person obligated

2 :  an action under the common law not brought for the recovery of or involving rights in lands, tenements, or hereditaments :  an action brought to enforce or recover a debt or personal duty or damages in lieu of it or damages for an injury to person or property or for the specific recovery of or enforcement of a lien upon goods or chattels — compare real action