Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: Massachusetts Trust
Tenement: A tenement is a type of property that has an easement, which means that someone else has the right to use it. The property that benefits from the easement is called the dominant tenement, while the property that grants the easement is called the servient tenement. In the past, tenement also referred to permanent buildings or structures on a piece of land, including the right to lease the property. This term comes from the middle ages when people controlled property, but the land was actually owned by the crown or lords.
Definition: Tenement is a term used to describe a property involved in an easement. The property that benefits from the easement is called the dominant tenement, while the property that grants the easement is called the servient tenement. In simpler terms, it refers to a property that has the right to use another property for a specific purpose.
Additionally, tenement is an old-fashioned term that refers to permanent buildings or structures on a piece of property, including other rights besides ownership, such as the ability to lease the property. The term originated from the middle ages when it referred to property controlled by individuals, but under feudal systems, all of the land was actually owned by the crown or lords.
Example: A homeowner has a tenement on their property that allows them to use their neighbor's driveway to access their garage. In this case, the homeowner's property is the dominant tenement, while the neighbor's property is the servient tenement.
Explanation: The example illustrates the definition of tenement as a property involved in an easement. The homeowner's property benefits from the easement, allowing them to use their neighbor's driveway for a specific purpose, which is to access their garage. The neighbor's property grants the easement, making it the servient tenement.