Original Possession
Non-Original Possession
The Right to Exclude
Property Interest Over Time (Fee Simple)
Bonus: Con Law
100

The Rule of Capture

the first to take possession of an unowned thing owns it 
100

The finder of property has title against all but the ________________.

What case is this principle associated with?

true owner. Armory v. Delamirie

100
The right to exclude from private land is "______________________"

one of the most essential sticks in the bundle of rights that are commonly characterized as property

100

O grants Blackacre to "A" for life, then to B and his heirs

A has a life estate. B has an indefeasibly vested remainder future interest. 

100

What case establishes Judicial Review

Marbury v. Madison

200

How can someone establish original possession?

-wounding, trapping, carrying away (pierson)

-custom (Ghen)

-quasi-ownership and equity (Popov)


200

Title Relativity Chain

O > F1 > F2 > C1 > C2

200

True or False: self-help is not lawful to remove a tenant in possession of real property when sufficient legal mechanisms exist as an alternative

true

200

O grants blackacre "to A for life, then to B and her heirs, but if B ever remarries, then to C and her heirs."

Present Possessory Estate: A has a life estate. 

Future interest: B has a vested remainder subject to divestment

Future Interest: C has a shifting executory interest

O: has a reversion

200

What are the three elements of standing

1. injury

2. causation

3. redressability

300

Ad Coelum

A landowner owns to the skies above and the depths beneath their land (note: in some contexts, this can yield to competing considerations [i.e., Edwards v. Sims -> a landowner's exclusive right can be temporarily evaded if justice requires
300

What are the elements of adverse possession?

possession must be:

(1) actual

(2) continuous

(3) open and notorious

(4) adverse under a claim of right (hostile)

(5) some jurisdictions require a good faith element

300

Necessity Exception to Trespass

applies in all sorts of situations when preserving life (or maybe even more valuable property) (i.e., natural disasters, fleeing from assailants, wandering animals, obstructed highways, rescue of property)

300

O grants Blackacre to Huxley College, as long as it is used for instructional purposes

Huxley College has a fee simple determinable and O has the future interest of possible reverter

300

what is the current commerce test the court uses?

1. instrumentalities

2. channels

3. substantially related

-note that whether or not the activity is economic in nature matters (See Lopez; See also Morrison)

400
Accretion v. Avulsion

Accretion: when there is a gradual shift in the course of a waterway, the middle threat of the waterway still serves as the boundary (keep following the river)

Avulsion: when there is a sudden and pronounced change in the water channel, the boundary remains where it used to be (stop following the river)

400

The continuity requirement of adverse possession requires ________________, which may vary depending on context

normal usage

400

Fisher v. Steward juxtaposed to McConico v. Singleton

Fisher v. Steward: beehive case - says that custom will not give beehive ownership to the finder; instead, rationale soli will apply and the owner of the land that the beehive is on will have first right

McConico: custom allows entry without permission for purpose of hunting on unenclosed lands (can be overcome by no trespassing signs)

400

O grants Blackacre "to A; but if marijuana is inhaled on the premises during A's life, then to B and her heirs"

A has a fee simple subject to executory limitation

B has a shifting executory interest in fee simple

O has possible reversion


400

true or false: the legislative branch cannot delegate its legislative power to an agency because it would be a violation of the separation of powers doctrine.

False. The legislative branch may do this. (West Virginia v. EPA)

The tests associated with this are the non-delegation doctrine and the major questions doctrine

500

Keeble v. Hickeringill  

intentional interference with completing possession by a non-competitor is inactionable (court created this tort)

500

Two Questions for 500:

What is "tacking"

What does Songbyrd, Inc. v. Estate of Grossman establish


adverse possessors can take their time onto the previous adverse possessors if they are in privity to them, which means a voluntary transfer of the property from th earlier to the later adverse possessor

Sonbyrd establishes that adverse possession applies to tangible personal property

500

Racially Restrictive Covenants are _________________ (fill in the citation)

unenforceable because the court, a public institution, would be in violation of the fourteenth amendment in doing so. (Shelley v. Kramer)

500

to A for life, then to A's husband if he survives her

A has a life estate

A's husband has a contingent remainder (contingent on the fact that he survives her)

O has a reversion because, if the husband does not survive her, O would get the property back

500

name all 9 justices on the supreme court


  1. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.
  2. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas
  3. Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr.
  4. Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor
  5. Associate Justice Elena Kagan
  6. Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch
  7. Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh
  8. Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett
  9. Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson