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Simple English definitions for legal terms
ancient-lights doctrine
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A quick definition of ancient-lights doctrine:
The ancient-lights doctrine is a rule in common law that says if a person has had a window or opening in their building for 20 years without interruption, they have the right to prevent their neighbor from building something that blocks the light from coming through that window. This window is called an ancient light. This rule is not often used in the United States. It means that if you have had a window for a long time, you can stop your neighbor from blocking the light that comes through it.
A more thorough explanation:
The ancient-lights doctrine is a principle in common law that allows a landowner to acquire an easement preventing a neighbor from building an obstruction that blocks light from passing through the landowner's window after 20 years of uninterrupted use. This means that if a landowner has had access to sunlight through a window for 20 years, they can prevent their neighbor from building anything that would block that light.
For example, if a house has a window that faces a neighbor's property and that window has been receiving sunlight for 20 years, the owner of the house can prevent the neighbor from building a fence or a wall that would block the sunlight from entering the window.
It's important to note that this doctrine is rarely applied in the United States and has been repudiated in some states. Additionally, a notice stating "Ancient Lights" is not necessary to protect a legal right to sunlight.