Trespasser

Pronunciation: TRES-pass-er

Torts › Premises Liability

Definition

Person who enters land without permission or privilege. Possessor generally owes no duty except to refrain from willful or wanton conduct. No duty to warn or make safe. Exception: known or frequent trespassers on limited area may create duty to warn of known dangers. Child trespassers have special attractive nuisance doctrine.

Related terms

• Licensee — Person who enters land with possessor's permission for licensee's own purpose, not for possessor's benefit. Social guests are…
• Invitee — A person who enters another's land for a purpose related to the landowner's business or for the mutual…
• Attractive Nuisance — Doctrine imposing duty on land possessor to protect child trespassers from dangerous artificial conditions likely to attract children.…

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