Legal Definitions - claim of ownership

A claim of ownership is when someone possesses a piece of property with the intention of claiming it as their own, even if they do not have the legal right to it. This is also known as a claim of right or claim of title.

• John has been living in a house for 10 years that he does not own. He has been paying the property taxes and making improvements to the house. John believes he has a claim of ownership to the property through adverse possession.
• Sarah believes that a piece of land adjacent to her property belongs to her, even though she does not have a deed or title to it. She has been using the land for gardening and has put up a fence around it. Sarah has a claim of ownership to the land.

These examples illustrate how someone can claim ownership of property without having legal ownership or title to it. They may do so through adverse possession or by simply using and improving the property over time.