Court

A court is open area on a zoning lot bounded by building walls — or by walls and lot lines — that does not qualify as a yard. An outer court opens onto a street or yard; an inner court is enclosed on all sides, the classic light well. Courts exist because rooms need legally adequate light and air: windows that the housing and building rules require must generally face a street, a yard, or a court of sufficient dimensions.

Minimum dimensions for courts are set by rule and vary with context. In practice, courts are how large buildings bring daylight to their interior rooms, and undersized historic light wells are a recurring constraint when older buildings are altered or enlarged.