Legal Definitions - hallazgo

HALLAZGO

Hallazgo (ah-yahz-goh), n. [Spanish]

1. The act of discovering and taking possession of property that has no owner.

2. The first person recognized by law as the rightful owner of the property.

Example 1: A person walking on the beach finds a valuable ring lying on the sand. Since there is no one around to claim it, the person can claim the ring as a hallazgo.

Example 2: A person discovers an abandoned house and decides to move in. If no one else claims ownership, the person can become the hallazgo of the property.

The examples illustrate the concept of hallazgo, which refers to the act of finding and taking possession of property that has no owner. In both examples, the individuals who found the property can claim it as their own because there is no one else who can prove ownership. The law recognizes the first person who takes possession of the property as the rightful owner, which is why they become the hallazgo.