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Simple English definitions for legal terms
noncontiguous
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A quick definition of noncontiguous:
Noncontiguous: When something, usually land, is not connected and does not share a border with another piece of land. For example, Alaska and Hawaii are noncontiguous states because they are not connected to the other 48 states. This is important for homestead exemptions in bankruptcy because a piece of land that is not connected to where a person lives may not qualify for a homestead exemption.
A more thorough explanation:
Noncontiguous
Noncontiguous means something, usually land, that is not connected and does not share a border. For example, the contiguous United States includes 48 states that share borders with each other, but Alaska and Hawaii are noncontiguous states because they are not connected to the other states.
When it comes to homestead exemptions in bankruptcy, whether or not land is contiguous is important. If a parcel of land is noncontiguous from the one a person lives on, it may not qualify for a homestead exemption. For instance, in the case of In re Schott, two tracts of land separated by a road were considered noncontiguous. Only the tract that the debtor lived on qualified for a homestead exemption.
A good example of noncontiguous land is Alaska. It is not connected to the other states and does not share a border with them. Another example is Hawaii, which is also not connected to the other states and is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The example of In re Schott illustrates how noncontiguous land can affect homestead exemptions in bankruptcy. The debtor owned two tracts of land, but only the one they lived on qualified for a homestead exemption because it was contiguous to their residence.