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Eviction, also known as unlawful detainer, summary possession, or forcible detainer in some jurisdictions, is the removal of a tenant from rental property by a law enforcement officer. Depending on the jurisdiction involved, before a tenant can be evicted, a landlord must win an eviction lawsuit or prevail in another step in the legal process. It should be born in mind that "eviction," as with "ejectment" and certain other related terms, has precise meanings only in certain historical contexts (<i>e.g.</i>, under the English common law of past centuries), or with respect to specific jurisdictions. In present-day practice and procedure, there has come to be a wide variation in the content of these terms from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. One should not assume that all aspects of the discussions below will necessarily apply even in all states or other common law jurisdictions.