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The Stolen Museum: Have United States Art Museums Become Inadvertent Fences For Stolen Art Works Looted By The Nazis In Word War Ii?, Barbara Tyler

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

This Article begins with some historical background surrounding the Nazi pillaging of several family collections which may have found their way into American museums. The Article then focuses on what legal and equitable doctrines should be employed in the search for justice in ownership of art works in the United States. The Article advocates that American lawmust prevail. It must be modified to reject the due diligence rule for replevin. Replevin maintains that good intentions alone cannot abrogate the doctrine of bona fide purchaser: a thief can never pass clear title to stolen property to any subsequent transferee no matter …