In terms of legal classification, how is tenant lockout defined?

Tenant lockout is primarily defined as a civil matter within the realm of landlord-tenant law. This classification arises because the issues related to tenant lockout typically involve disputes over leases and the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords, focusing on civil rights rather than criminal offenses.

When a landlord unlawfully evicts or locks out a tenant without a proper court judgment, the tenant may bring a civil action against the landlord for recovery of possession, damages, and possibly attorney’s fees. The legal framework surrounding these actions is grounded in property law and contract law, which leads to the classification of these situations as civil matters.

Classifying tenant lockout as a misdemeanor or felony does not accurately reflect the nature of the offense, as those classifications pertain to criminal actions that can result in imprisonment or fines. Similarly, while a lockout can be seen as a lease violation from the tenant's perspective, it does not encapsulate the broader legal context of how courts approach these disputes, which is inherently civil in nature.