What is the term for a property owner's right to have land supported by the land adjacent to it?

• A. Lateral Support
• B. Subjacent Support
• C. Incorporeal Interest
• D. Easement

Answer: (A)

Lateral support is the right a property owner has to have land supported by the land adjacent to it. This protection ensures your land stays stable on the sides, so if a neighbor excavates or lowers their land too close to your boundary, your land could subside and you could be owed damages for the loss of that support. Subjacent support is support from below the surface, not from neighboring property, so it’s a different kind of stability. An incorporeal interest is an intangible right, such as an easement or other non-possessory right, and an easement is a right to use someone else’s land for a specific purpose, not a claim to physical support. In short, the term for the right to have land supported by adjacent land is lateral support.