curtilage legal definition

The land immediately surrounding a dwelling, such as a yard and outbuildings, where some of the regular activity of the occupantÂ’s home life takes place, where the occupant has a reasonable expectation of privacy, and that is usually demarcated, fenced off, or otherwise clearly protected from public scrutiny. Such land is regarded as a part of the dwelling itself and is protected from warrantless searches under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Also called open fields doctrine or messuage.