Law Commons^™

Secrecy And Real Property, Dale A. Whitman

Faculty Publications

It is not unusual for owners of real property to wish to conceal from government or the public either the fact of their ownership or certain salient characteristics of the property they hold. The objective of this article is to consider the extent to which this desire for secrecy is supported by sound policy and American legal doctrine. It will focus on the civil recourse available to an owner of real property against private persons who, without the owner's knowledge and consent, reveal information about the ownership or physical characteristics of the property. The article will also consider whether the …