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Simple English definitions for legal terms
section
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A quick definition of section:
A section is a part of a written document, like a law or contract. It is marked with the symbol § or the abbreviation "sec." A section of land is a piece of land that is one square mile, or 640 acres. This is how public lands in the United States were traditionally divided. A half section is 320 acres, and a quarter section is 160 acres. A quarter section was usually given to homesteaders in the past.
A more thorough explanation:
A section is a part or division of a written document, especially a legal one. It is abbreviated as §, sec., or s.
In real estate, a section refers to a piece of land that contains 640 acres or one square mile. In the United States, public lands were traditionally divided into 640-acre squares, each called a section of land.
There are also smaller divisions of a section:
- Half section: A piece of land containing 320 acres, laid off either by a north-south or by an east-west line.
- Quarter section: A piece of land containing 160 acres, laid off by a north-south or east-west line.
For example, if a farmer owns a quarter section of land, they own 160 acres of land. This is important in real estate and agriculture because it helps to define property boundaries and determine land values.
secta unica tantum facienda pro pluribus haereditatibus | Section 8 affidavit