REAL PROPERTY I OUTLINE
2007
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I.                   ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY
a.     Introduction
                                                              i.     fundamental rule for determining ownership is that the first person to take possession of a thing owns it
1.     Johnson v. M’Intosh – we took land from Indians – they never had right to transfer it, only right of occupancy
2.     Discovery and conquest give title of land, but possession is nine tenths of the law
b.     Rule of Capture
                                                              i.     First in possession i.e. first person to capture a resource owns it
1.     Pierson v. Post
                                                            ii.     Capture of wild animals – no one owns them in the wild
1.     Actual capture standard – mere chase isn’t enough
a.      Bright line rule creates certainty, prevents quarrels
2.     wounded or trapped
a.      can create ownershipifitis practically certain that it will be captured
                                                                                                                                      i.     substantial dominion
                                                                                                                                    ii.     rewards successful opinion
                                                                                                                                   iii.     tragedy of the commons
1.     remedies
3.     Animus revertendi – domesticated wild animals can be owned (tame deer gets shot, you can seek relief)
4.     Escaped wild animals
a.      Owner lost possession unless 2nd captor has notice animal has escaped possession. – Elephant in P.A.
5.     Limitations
a.      statutes for natural resources
6.     Rights to oil and gas
a.      same rule of capture as long as non–negligent
                                                                                                                                      i.     limitations – state enacted statutes regulating
7.     Rights in Water
a.      percolating ground water
                                                                                                                                      i.     owner of land above can take
1.     reasonable use doctrine
a.      can pump and transport of land as long as neighbors aren’t harmed
b.     surface water
                                                                                                                                      i.     capture
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                   i.     General Rule – Rewards labor
                                                            ii.     acquisition by accession
1.     adds to another’s property by labor or labor and materials – owner may loose title, but is entitled to unimproved value
2.     Labor added
a.      usually remains w/ OO unless Sufficiently increased to unfair point, and other acted in good faith
3.     labor and Materials added
a.      awarded to the owner of principal material
4.     confusion of goods- no labor added
a.      owners entitled to proportion
                                                           iii.     Intellectual property
1.     IP SEEKS TO ENCOURAGE CREATION while AVOIDING MONOPOLY
2.     encourages creation – labor theory- creating and giving value to
3.     Gives value to creations
4.     if there are two many rights out of public domain – it stifles creativity and establishes monopolies –
5.      Nichols v. Universal Pics corp
a.      jew irish book movie- too general
Diamond v. Chakrabatory