Res nullius
| Literal meaning | A thing of no one |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | rayz NUL-ee-us |
A thing that is owned by no one and can be taken by the first person who takes it.
Example
A wild animal that has not been caught belongs to no one until someone takes it.
Case laws
- M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath (1997), Supreme Court: the Court said that Roman law treated certain resources as owned by no one or by all.
Exam tip
Asked with res communis.
Memory trick
Nullius = of no one.
Key takeaway
Res nullius is a thing that has no owner.
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