Legal Definitions - locator

A locator is a legal term with a primary meaning rooted in Roman law, referring to an individual or entity involved in a contractual agreement. It generally describes:

• Someone who provides property or services to another party in exchange for payment, such as a landlord or a service provider.
• Someone who contracts with another party to perform work or provide services for a fee.
• In a more specialized context, it can also refer to an individual legally authorized to identify and mark the boundaries of land, particularly for mining claims.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept:

• Example 1: A property owner, Ms. Chen, rents out her vacation home to tourists for a weekly fee.

  Explanation: In this scenario, Ms. Chen acts as a locator because she is letting out her property (the vacation home) for a reward (the weekly fee). She is essentially a lessor, providing the use of her property under a contractual agreement.

• Example 2: A small business owner, Mr. Davies, hires a freelance graphic designer to create a new logo for his company.

  Explanation: Here, Mr. Davies is the locator because he is contracting to have another person (the graphic designer) perform work (creating a logo) for a reward (the agreed-upon fee). He is engaging a service provider under a contract.

• Example 3: A licensed surveyor is commissioned by a mining corporation to precisely delineate the boundaries of a newly discovered mineral deposit in a remote area.

  Explanation: In this specific context, the surveyor acts as a locator because they are authorized and tasked with identifying and setting the legal boundaries of a mining claim. This aligns with the specialized meaning of the term related to land and claim demarcation.