Legal Definitions - with strong hand

The legal phrase "with strong hand" describes actions that are carried out using unlawful or criminal force. It implies more than just physical effort; it refers to the application of power or violence in a way that violates legal rights, often involving a breach of peace or an illegal seizure of property or possession.

Here are some examples illustrating this term:

• Forcible Entry by a Landlord: A landlord, frustrated by a tenant's failure to pay rent, decides to bypass the legal eviction process. One morning, while the tenant is at work, the landlord forcibly removes the tenant's belongings from the apartment and changes all the locks, preventing the tenant from re-entering their home.

  This situation illustrates "with strong hand" because the landlord used physical force (removing items, changing locks) to unlawfully take possession of the property, bypassing legal procedures and violating the tenant's right to peaceful enjoyment of their dwelling. This action constitutes an illegal eviction.

• Unlawful Repossession of Property: A person believes their valuable bicycle was stolen and later spots someone else riding it. Instead of contacting law enforcement, the original owner confronts the rider, physically pulls the bicycle away from them, and rides off, despite the rider's protests and claims of legitimate ownership.

  This act is considered "with strong hand" because the original owner resorted to unlawful force (physically taking the bicycle) to regain possession, rather than following legal channels to resolve the dispute over ownership. Even if the bicycle was indeed stolen, using self-help force to reclaim it can be illegal.

• Dispute Over Land Boundaries: Two neighboring landowners have a long-standing disagreement about where their property line lies. One landowner, without any court order or agreement, hires a construction crew to demolish an existing fence, clear a disputed section of land with heavy machinery, and erect a new fence several feet into what the other landowner considers their property, effectively seizing the land through aggressive physical action.

  This demonstrates "with strong hand" because the landowner used significant physical force (demolition, heavy machinery, new fence construction) to unilaterally and unlawfully take possession of disputed territory, rather than resolving the boundary issue through legal means or negotiation.