Law Commons^™

Dykema V. Del Webb Communities, Inc., 132 Nev. Adv. Op. 82 (Dec. 29, 2016), Christopher Giddens

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court determined that a notice of completion’s recording date—not the date on which the notice is signed and notarized—signifies when the notice is “issued” to trigger “substantial completion” under NRS 11.2055(1)(b) for NRS Chapter 11’s construction defect statutes of repose.

Zoning’S Centennial: A Complete Account Of The Evolution Of Zoning Into A Robust System Of Land Use Law—1916-2016 (Part Iii), John R. Nolon

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

In land use, there are two things that Americans dislike: one is sprawl, the other is density. This catch-22 can be resolved by mitigating those aspects of urban living associated with density: congestion, bulky buildings, sameness, design incongruities, unsafe streets, inefficiency, and the sense that neighborhoods are not livable and pleasant. These characteristics of density cut against sustainability. They define places that people want to leave as soon as they can. To reduce vehicle miles travelled and carbon emissions, as well as to prevent sprawl, we must create places of enduring value, located next to transit in walkable and sustainable …

Legislative Exactions And Progressive Property, Timothy M. Mulvaney

Faculty Scholarship

Exactions — a term used to describe certain conditions that are attached to land-use permits issued at the government’s discretion — ostensibly oblige property owners to internalize the costs of the expected infrastructural, environmental, and social harms resulting from development. This Article explores how proponents of progressive conceptions of property might respond to the open question of whether legislative exactions should be subject to the same level of judicial scrutiny to which administrative exactions are subject in constitutional takings cases. It identifies several first-order reasons to support the idea of immunizing legislative exactions from heightened takings scrutiny. However, it suggests …

Unauthorised Fiduciary Gains And The Constructive Trust, Alvin W. L. See

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article challenges the traditional assumption that all cases of unauthorised fiduciary gain warrant the same legal treatment, in particular the imposition of a constructive trust as a disgorgement remedy. It proposes a method of categorising the cases and ranking them based on the strength of the principal’s interest. It is suggested that in cases where the principal’s interest is not particularly strong, there is room for taking into account the interests of innocent third parties and affording them the necessary protection. For this purpose, the remedial constructive trust supplies the needed flexibility.

Moving Forward By Looking Back: The Retroactive Application Of Obergefell, Lee-Ford Tritt

UF Law Faculty Publications

The recent Supreme Court decision of Obergefell v. Hodges has forever altered American jurisprudence. Not only did this decision make same-sex marriage legal in all fifty states, but it also required states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states in accordance with the 14th Amendment. The Court’s holding in Obergefell raises a fundamental question with serious legal and financial significance: when exactly do these once unrecognized marriages legally begin? And to what extent must courts apply Obergefell retroactively? The stakes are high and substantive financial effects are pending on the answer to this question — for, with marriage, comes wide-ranging …

Access, Exclusion, And Value, Sarah Schindler

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

The concepts of exclusion and access occupy the minds of many property scholars. We regularly debate the problems with, and benefits of, exclusion. We talk about how foundational the right to exclude is, and should be. We talk about whether and when the right to exclude should bend to accommodate other interests. And we talk about the value of exclusion. While these debates have filled many pages in law journals and hours of panel discussions, Professors Jonathan Klick and Gideon Parchomovsky noticed that something was missing from the discourse: empirical evidence.

Pacific Western Bank V. Eighth Jud. Dist. Ct., 132 Nev. Adv. Op. 78 (Nov. 3, 2016), Margarita Elias

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court concluded that funds contained in financial accounts under 26 U.S.C. § 529 (“529 accounts”) constitute a debt and that these funds are subject to execution and garnishment in Nevada despite their physical location elsewhere. Specifically, the Court adopted Section 68 of the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws and concluded that funds contained in 529 accounts are a debt, not a chattel.

Real Estate Methods And Credits: A Summary Of Recent Developments And Strategies (Powerpoint), Brandon C. Carlton

William & Mary Annual Tax Conference

No abstract provided.

Zoning’S Centennial: A Complete Account Of The Evolution Of Zoning Into A Robust System Of Land Use Law—1916-2016 (Part Ii), John R. Nolon

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The idea that local land use law can intelligently shape settlement patterns was not a familiar concept in the late 1960s when the Town of Ramapo, New York adopted an ordinance that delayed development permits until the Town could provide needed infrastructure. Ramapo was experiencing unprecedented growth as one of the closest northern suburbs of New York City. Developers, who in some cases had to wait years for services to their land, sued; they argued that these phased development controls were intended to prohibit subdivisions and restrict population growth, which is not authorized under the state’s zoning enabling legislation.

New …

Restoring Hope For Heirs Property Owners: The Uniform Partition Of Heirs Property Act, Thomas W. Mitchell

Faculty Scholarship

For well over 125 years, many Americans have lost their tenancy-in-common property involuntarily in various legal proceedings. For example, courts throughout this country have often resolved partition actions, a legal proceeding in which a tenant in common seeks to exit a tenancy in common, by ordering a forced, partition sale of the property even when these courts could have ordered a remedy that would have preserved the property rights of the tenants in common. Though partition sales have negatively impacted a broad cross section of people in this country, the sales have particularly impacted poor and disadvantaged African-Americans, Hispanics, white …

Fixing A Broken Common Law -- Has The Property Law Of Easements And Covenants Been Reformed By A Restatement, Ronald H. Rosenberg

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Zoning’S Centennial: A Complete Account Of The Evolution Of Zoning Into A Robust System Of Land Use Law—1916-2016 (Part I), John R. Nolon

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

2016 is the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the first citywide comprehensive zoning law. Its original purpose was to create districts that separated incompatible land uses and building types in order to protect property values and promote the health, safety, and welfare of the community. 100 years later, zoning is used to achieve an impressive number of public objectives such as permitting transit oriented development, creating green infrastructure, preserving habitat, species, and wetlands, promoting renewable energy facilities, reducing vehicle miles traveled, and preserving the sequestering landscape.

An Evolution Of Tradition: Understanding The Unintended Effects Of The 1999 Inheritance And Marital Property Law On Intra-Family Relationships In Rwanda., Pete Freeman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the months following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, a disproportionate number of Rwandan women were left without husbands, homes, family, or property. These losses required women to take on cultural responsibilities hitherto reserved for men. One roadblock to assuming these responsibilities was the legal and cultural right of property ownership reserved exclusively for men. Then in 1999, the Rwandan government enacted legislation which allowed women and girls the rights to family property -- Law/nº 22/99 of 12/11/1999 on Matrimonial Regimes, Liberalities, and Successions. On paper, this Rwandan policy seemed like a step toward gender equality, a watershed moment in …

Evolving Water Law And Management In The U.S.: Montana, Irma S. Russell

Faculty Works

The availability of water or the lack thereof has influenced the evolution of each state and the laws of each state. The development of water law naturally grew from the realities of water and other resources in different areas of the country and the need for water for industry, agriculture, and other enterprises. The evolution and development of water management in Montana provide a good example of water management in the western United States. From the beginnings of Montana and of the West as a region, water sat at the top of the list of essentials for human occupancy and …

2016 Trying Times: Important Lessons To Be Learned From Recent Federal Tax Cases, Nancy Mclaughlin

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

Since 2005, the courts have collectively issued more than 80 opinions involving challenges to deductions claimed under IRC § 170(h) with regard to conservation and facade easement donations. This outline provides a brief history of developments in the deduction context, discusses the practical implications of the recent court decisions, and offers advice on how to file a tax return package to minimize the risk of audit. It also briefly notes various other important issues, such as the IRS's focus on valuation and syndicated deals, quid pro quo, and reserved development rights.

A New American Dream For Detroit, Andrea Boyack

Faculty Publications

The problem of neighborhood deterioration is keenly visible in Detroit today, but Detroit’s housing struggles are not unique. Like most of America, the Detroit metropolitan area is racially fragmented, and minority neighborhoods are the most likely to be impoverished and failing. Detroit’s problems of housing abandonment and neighborhood decay are both caused and exacerbated by decades of housing segregation and inequality. The “American Dream” has always been one of equal opportunity, but there can be no equality of opportunity when there is such stark inequality among home environments. Detroit’s neighborhood decline is a symptom of the city’s population loss and …

An Empirical Study Of Implicit Takings., James E. Krier, Stewart E. Sterk

Articles

Takings scholarship has long focused on the niceties of Supreme Court doctrine, while ignoring the operation of takings law "on the ground" in the state and lower federal courts, which together decide the vast bulk of all takings cases. This study, based primarily on an empirical analysis of more than 2000 reported decisions ovcr the period 1979 through 2012, attempts to fill that void. This study establishes that the Supreme Court's categorical rules govern almost no state takings cases, and that takings claims based on government regulation almost invariably fail. By contrast, when takings claims arise out of government action …

Bank Of Nevada V. Petersen, 132 Nev. Adv. Op. 64 (Aug. 12, 2016), Kristopher Kalkowski

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

No abstract provided.

Public Shoreline Access In Maine: A Citizen’S Guide To Coastal And Ocean Law, John Duff, Liana James, Victoria Labate

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Getting to coastal waters in Maine can sometimes be a challenge, for despite the state’s 5,400 miles of mainland and island shoreline, only about 12% is in public ownership. Yet the public does have longstanding, although limited, rights to support traditional coastal uses along privately owned shoreline. In addition to the rights to “fish, fowl, and navigate,” members of the public have a variety of other means to secure access to shoreline areas and ocean waters. With more people attracted to Maine’s coastline for a variety of uses, it is important to understand the range of access rights that accommodate …

Underwriting Sustainable Homeownership: The Federal Housing Administration And The Law Down Payment Loan, David Reiss

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Probate A To Z: Guiding You Through The Statutes, Rules, And Procedures (Click Sharkmedia Below For Video), Adam Scott Goldberg

NSU Law Seminar Series

• Learn about probate court statutes and rules of procedure in Florida
• Understand how Probate issues can impact other areas such as: real estate, family, and debt/creditor law.
• How to handle special challenges that arise in probate cases
• Discuss recent procedural changes in Miami-Dade & Broward Probate Court

Money For Nothing: A Case Study On Leveraging Donated Property To Satisfy Federal Grant Match Requirements, Garrett Gee

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

No abstract provided.

Big Questions Comparative Law, Anna Di Robilant

Faculty Scholarship

This essay reflects on Ran Hirschl’s book "Comparative Matters." Feeling that historical comparative law methodologies have been found wanting it looks to newer methods. For example, the critical approach to comparative law relies on comparison to expose the implicit biases and assumptions of the observer’s own system and to denounce the illusory and ideological nature of “legalism,” namely, the claim that law is both neutral and necessary. Comparative law and economics seeks to explain in precise terms the convergence of legal rules by using efficiency as a key metric. Comparative law and economics also gives a comparative twist to the …

Data-Driven Systems: Model Practices & Policies For Strategic Code Enforcement, Kermit J. Lind

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

This brief examines the latest strategies, tools, and techniques for using real property data to help communities facilitate neighborhood revitalization through a strategic, data-driven approach to code enforcement policies, programs, and tactics.

Fact Sheet: Comparison Of Land Rights And Native Title In Nsw, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council

Indigenous Water Justice Symposium (June 6)

Presenter: Phil Duncan, Gomeroi Nation, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council

3 pages

Contains footnotes

"Land Rights and Native Title in NSW"

"October 2012"

"This document has been prepared by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) for Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) and Aboriginal communities in NSW. NSWALC acknowledges the assistance of NTSCORP Limited (NTSCORP) in the development of this Fact Sheet."--Last page

Fact Sheet: Water Licences, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council

Indigenous Water Justice Symposium (June 6)

Presenter: Phil Duncan, Gomeroi Nation, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council

4 pages

Contains references

Slides: The Nsw Aboriginal Land Council (Nswalc) And Aboriginal Land Rights In Nsw, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council

Indigenous Water Justice Symposium (June 6)

Presenter: Phil Duncan, Gomeroi Nation, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council

19 slides

Slides: Crystalised Not Frozen: Addressing Historical Exclusion Of Traditional Owners From Water, Poh-Ling Tan

Indigenous Water Justice Symposium (June 6)

Poh-Ling Tan, Griffith University

13 slides

Is The Government Fiscally Blind? An Empirical Examination Of The Effect Of The Compensation Requirement On Eminent-Domain Exercises, Ronit Levine-Schnur, Gideon Parchomovsky

All Faculty Scholarship

We empirically test the fiscal-illusion hypothesis in the takings context in Israel. Israeli law allows local governments to expropriate up to 40 percent of any parcel without compensation. In 2001, the Israeli Supreme Court created a carve out for takings of 100 percent, requiring full compensation in such cases. We analyze data for 3,140 takings cases in Tel Aviv between 1990 and 2014. There was no disproportionate share of takings of just under 40 percent. Nor was there a long-term drop in the share of 100 percent takings after 2001. Although a short-term drop in the share of 100 percent …

Badger V. Eighth Jud. Dist. Ct., F. Shane Jackson

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court considered a petition for a writ of mandamus challenging a district court order denying a motion for summary judgment and a motion to dismiss. Petitioner Darrin D. Badger (“Petitioner”) sought summary judgment in a breach of guaranty action against him and dismissal of a complaint of a deficiency judgment against him in connection with a foreclosure. After the court denied Petitioner’s motions, he filed the instant petition. The Court granted the petition, holding that a party may not use the relation back provision of NRCP 15(c) to circumvent the requirement in NRS 40.455(1) that an application for a …