Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: SUFFERANCE
Definition: Sufferance means allowing something to happen without actively stopping it. It can also refer to someone who is living on land without the owner's permission. In some cases, not enforcing a right can imply permission or a license.
Definition: Sufferance refers to the act of tolerating or passively consenting to something. It can also refer to the state of holding land without the owner's permission or a license implied from the omission to enforce a right.
The examples illustrate the different ways in which sufferance can be applied. In the first example, the teacher is tolerating the use of phones in class. In the second example, the person living on the property is doing so without permission, but the owner is passively allowing it. In the third example, the landlord is not enforcing their rights, which is giving the tenant permission to continue living there.