Res communis
| Literal meaning | A thing common to all |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | rayz kom-YOO-nis |
A thing that belongs to everyone, such as the air and the sea. No one can own it.
Example
A public river is res communis. No one can privately claim it.
Case laws
- M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath (1997), Supreme Court: the Court said that Roman law treated resources such as the air, rivers, sea and forests as common to all, and applied the public trust doctrine.
Exam tip
Asked with the public trust doctrine.
Memory trick
Common to all.
Key takeaway
Res communis is a resource shared by everyone.
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