PROPERTY I & J SPRING 2010: SYLLABUS (UNITS I-II)
Numbers in parentheses preceded by P indicate pages in Property Law: Ownership, Use & Conservation; numbers preceded by S indicate pages in the instructor’s Supplemental Materials; numbers preceded by IM indicate pages in Information Memos available on the course page; numbers preceded by E indicate pages in Estates and Land & Future Interests (3d ed.).
Introductory Material
A. Course Outline (IM1)
B. Scheduling Information (IM2)
C. Information about the Course (IM3-11)
D. Information about the Instructor (IM12-14)
E. Fajer, Out at First (1988) (IM14-15)
F. General Instructions for Written Assignments (IM16-17)
Unit I: But It’s Mine
Involuntary Transfers of Property Rights
Chapter 1: An Important Stick: The Right to Exclude and Some Exceptions
A. Trespass
1. Notes on “The Right to Exclude” and “Trespass” (P53-54)
2. Jacque v. Steenberg Homes (Wisc. 1997) (P54-57)
3. Notes 1-4, 6 (P57-59)
4. Discussion Questions 1-5 (S1-2)
B. Access to Migrant Agricultural Workers
1. State v. Shack (N.J. 1971) (S2-6)
2. Discussion Questions 6-15 (S6-7)
3. Review Problems 1A- 1C (S7-8)
4. Written Assignment #1 (In Info Memo #2: To Be Posted)
C. Private Property Open to the Public
1. Background
a. Common Law Privileges: Notes 1-2 (P83-84)
b. Civil Rights Laws: Notes 4-5 (P84-85)
c. Discussion Questions 16-18 (S8)
2. Undesirable Patrons
a. Brooks v. Chicago Downs Assn. (7th Cir. 1986) (P79-83)
b. Note 3 (P84)
c. Discussion Questions 19-20 (S8)
3. Free Speech Access
a. N.J. Coalition v. J.M.B. Realty Corp. (N.J. 1994) (P85-92)
b. Notes 1-3 (P92-93)
c. Discussion Questions 21-25 (S8-9)
d. Review Problem 1D (S9)
D. Review Problems 1E-1H (S9-10)
Chapter 2: The Price of Living in a Democratic Society: The Eminent Domain Power and the Public Use Requirement
A. Introduction and Overview
1. Introductory Note (P178-79)
2. Note 6 (P196-97)
3. Discussion Questions 26-28 (S11)
B. Federal Standards
1. Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff (U.S. 1984) (S11-16)
2. Discussion Questions 29-31 (S16)
3. Kelo v. City of New London (U.S. 2005) (P179-93)
4. Notes 1, 4, 7 (P193, 195-97)
5. Discussion Questions 32-37 (S16)
C. State Standards
1. Poletown Neighborhood Council v. City of Detroit (Mich. 1981) (S17-18)
(facts from Ryan, J., Dissenting)
2. Discussion Question 38 (S18)
3. Notes 2, 3, 5 (P193-98)
4. Discussion Questions 39-41 (S18)
D. Review Problems 2A-2E (S18-20)
Chapter 3: The Statute of Limitations: The Adverse Possession Doctrine
A. Introduction
1. Overview of the Doctrine (S21-22)
2. Color of Title
a. Note (S22)
b. Note 5 (P120)
3. Justifications for Adverse Possession (Note 1) (P108-10)
4. Sample Statutes
a. Florida Statute (S22-23)
b. Pennsylvania (S23-24)
5. Sample Cases
a. VanValkenburgh v. Lutz (N.Y. 1952) (S24-30)
b. Ray v. Beacon Hudson Mountain Corp. (N.Y. 1996) (P102-05)
c. E. 13th St. Homesteader’s Coalition v. Lower East Side Coalition Housing Dev. (N.Y. Supr. 1996) (P105-08)
d. ITT Rayonier, Inc. v. Bell (Wash. 1989) (S30-33)
6. Discussion Questions 42-43 (S34)
B. Elements & Related Issues
1. Actual Use
a. Note 1 (S34) & Note 3 (P119)
b. Discussion Questions 44-46 (S35)
2. Open & Notorious
a. Note 2 (S35) & Note 4 (P119-20)
b. Discussion Questions 47-49 (S36)
3. Exclusive
a. Note 3 (S36) & Note 7 (P121)
b. Discussion Questions 50-52 (S36-37)
4. Continuous
a. Note 4 (S37); Note 4 (P111); Note 6 (P113); Note 8 (P121-22)
b. Discussion Questions 53-55 (S37)
5. Adverse/Hostile, Claim of Right & State of Mind
a. Notes 5-6 (S38); Note 3 (P110); Note 6 (P120-21)
b. Discussion Questions 56-57 (S38)
6. Other Issues: Note 7 (S39)
C. Boundary Disputes
1. Special Issues: Note 8 (S39)
2. Dorschner, Nightmare on 68th Street (1992) (S40-49)
3. Discussion Questions 58-60 (S50)
D. Policy Implications
1. Squatting (Note 5) (P111-13)
2. Environment (Note 6) (P127-28)
3. Discussion Question 61 (S50)
E. Review Problems 3A-3H (S50-53)
F. Written Assignment #2: Stealing Home
1. Team Assignments & Instructions (In Info Memo #2: To Be Posted)
2. Client Information (Handouts)
3. Materials on Perception, Memory and Evidence
a. Wigmore, Principles of Judicial Proof (1931) (S53-59)
b. Calvin, The River That Flows Uphill (1987) (S60-62)
c. Sondheim, Someone in a Tree (1976) (S63-66)
4. Binder & Price, Legal Interviewing and Counseling (pp.20-52; 124-34)
(on reserve at circulation desk in library)
UNIT II: SUCH A DEAL!
Voluntary Transfers of Property Rights
Chapter 4: Nobody’s Perfect: Defects in Purchased Property
A. Overview of the Sales Process
1. Land Sales (P312-13)
2. Johnstone, Land Transfers: Process & Processors (P313-14; 319-22)
3. Sample Contract of Sale (P331-35) (skim)
4. Deeds: Sample, Formalities, Construction, Delivery & Acceptance (P379-83)
5. Barry, The Ritual Closing Ceremony (S67)
B. Physical Defects and Off-Site Problems
1. Duty to Disclose
a. Stambovsky v. Ackley (N.Y.App.Div. 1991) (S68-72)
b. Strawn v. Canuso (N.J. 1995) (P404-12)
c. Notes 1-3, 5-6 (P412-15)
d. Note 5 (P316-17)
e. Discussion Questions 62-69 (S72-73)
2. Warranty of Fitness
a. Wawak v. Stewart (Ark. 1970) (P415-18)
b.. Nichols v. R.R. Beaufort & Assoc. (R.I. 1999) (P418-24)
c. Notes 3-8 (P425-29)
d. Discussion Questions 70-75 (S73)
C. Risk of Loss/Equitable Conversion
1. Skelly Oil v. Ashmore (P369-76)
2. Notes 1-4 (P376-79)
3. Discussion Questions 76-77 (S73)
D. Review Problems 4A-4E (S74-75)
Chapter 5: Where There’s a Will … and Where There Isn’t: Property Transfer at Death
A. Intestate Succession
a. Overview of Intestate Succession (S76-77)
b. Florida Intestacy Statutes (S77-79)
c. Written Assignment III: Intestacy and the Variety of State Law (in IM#3)
B. Wills
1. Overview of Wills Issues (S79-83)
2. Florida Laws Relating to Wills (S83-86)
3. Sample Will Formalities Cases
a. Estate of Weiss (Penn. 1971) (S86-87)
b. Estate of Stasis (Penn. 1973) (S87-89)
c. Discussion Questions 78-79 (S89)
4. Testator’s State of Mind
a. Estate of Webb (Okla. 1993) (S89-95)
b. In re Strittmater’s Estate (N.J. Eq. 1947) (S95-96)
c. Discussion Questions 80-82 (S96-97)
C. Review Problems 5A-5E (S97-99)
Syllabus Page 1