Legal Definitions - lost property

Lost property refers to personal belongings that an owner unintentionally and involuntarily loses or misplaces. This can include items such as wallets, phones, or keys.

According to common law, lost property is defined as personal property that was unintentionally left by its true owner. For example, if someone drops their wallet and doesn't realize it, that wallet is considered lost property. In the past, if someone found lost property, they were allowed to keep it until the original owner came forward.

Today, many jurisdictions have laws that modify the common law's treatment of lost property. These laws require lost personal property to be turned over to a government official, and if the property is not claimed within a set period of time, it goes to the finder. This means that the original owner's rights to the property are terminated.

Examples of lost property include:

• A phone left on a park bench
• A backpack forgotten on a bus
• A set of keys dropped on the sidewalk

These examples illustrate how lost property can be unintentionally left behind by its owner and can be found by someone else. If the owner doesn't come forward to claim the lost property, the finder may be allowed to keep it.