Legal Definitions - private property

Private property refers to things that are owned by individuals or organizations that are not part of the government. This can include things like land, buildings, objects, and ideas that are protected by laws like patents and trademarks. When someone owns private property, they have the right to use it, sell it, or give it away as they see fit.

• A person's home or apartment
• A company's office building
• A car or other vehicle
• A piece of artwork or a book that someone has created

These examples illustrate private property because they are all things that are owned by individuals or organizations. The owner of a home, for example, has the right to live in it, rent it out, or sell it to someone else. The owner of a company's office building can use it for their business or rent it out to other companies. The owner of a car can use it to get around or sell it to someone else. And the owner of a piece of artwork or a book has the right to control how it is used and who can make copies of it.

It's important to note that private property is different from public property, which is owned by the government and is available for use by everyone. Examples of public property include parks, libraries, and government buildings.