curtilage
(redirected from curtilages)Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia.
curtilage
The enclosed space of ground and buildings immediately surrounding a dwelling, or a conceptual amount of space reasonably attached to the use of a dwelling. This is an important concept in law enforcement in determining whether (a) an area is within the curtilage and thus searchable under a search warrant for the dwelling, (b) an officer's presence in an area for surveillance purposes is within the curtilage and thus an unlawful entry,and (c) despite the determination of (a) and (b),there is no expectation of privacy in garbage left within the curtilage for pickup,so it may be searched without a warrant.
The Complete Real Estate Encyclopedia by Denise L. Evans, JD & O. William Evans, JD. Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.