Legal Definitions - res derelicta

RES DERELICTA

Res derelicta is a Latin term that refers to abandoned property, which has been thrown away or forsaken by its owner.

• An old car left on the side of the road
• A house that has been vacant for years
• A boat that has been left to rot in a harbor

These examples illustrate the concept of res derelicta because they are all items that have been abandoned by their owners and left to deteriorate. Once property is considered abandoned, it is no longer under the ownership of the original owner and can be claimed by someone else.