Legal Definitions - impinge

To impinge means to have a negative impact or to intrude upon something, often by limiting or restricting a right, privilege, or established boundary. It suggests an encroachment that can diminish or interfere with another's interests.

Here are some examples illustrating how the term impinge is used:

• A new city ordinance that prohibits residents from making any structural changes to their homes, even minor ones, could be argued to impinge upon their property rights. This illustrates the term because the ordinance intrudes upon and restricts the homeowners' ability to use and modify their private property as they see fit, thereby negatively affecting their established rights.

• When a large construction project blocks public access to a popular park for an extended period, it might impinge upon the community's right to enjoy public spaces. In this scenario, the construction project encroaches on the public's ability to utilize a shared resource, limiting their access and enjoyment.

• A government policy requiring all internet service providers to monitor and report specific user activities could be seen as impinging upon individuals' privacy rights. Here, the policy intrudes into personal digital communications, potentially diminishing the expectation of privacy that citizens hold regarding their online activities.