Property

Professor Grimmelmann

New York Law School

Spring 2009


About the Course

Overview

This course covers the essentials of property law. We’ll study what makes “property” rights distinctive; how they’re created, transferred, and destroyed; and the powers and duties of property owners.

Class Meetings

We meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00—5:40 in room A400.

Here’s what I expect from you in class:

Readings

You’ll need:

The schedule below is divided into twenty-eight asssignments. Unless I tell you otherwise, you’re responsible for reading one assignment per class session. I promise to stick closely to a one-assignment-per-session pace.

Recording

I will attempt to audiotape each class and make the recording available through Blackboard, typically within 24 hours.

Grading

The final exam is currently scheduled for 1:30 PM on Thursday, May 14. It will be four hours long and closed-book. You’re responsible for anything in the readings or discussed in class, with the emphasis on what has been discussed in class. I’ll announce further details about the exam format later in the semester.

The exam counts for 100% of your course grade, except that I may adjust it by one third up or down for class participation. I consider good class participation to be anything that helps your classmates learn.

Course Web Page

This syllabus is at http://james.grimmelmann.net/courses/property2009S/. As the semester progresses, I’ll post updates to it here.

Contact

Office: Room 706, 40 Worth St.
Phone: (212) 431-2864
Email: jgrimmelmann (at nyls) Office Hours: Tuesday 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. and by appointment

Schedule

Trespass (4 classes)

Trespass

Remedies

Personal Property

Exceptions

Acquiring Ownership (4 classes)

Possession and Discovery

Accession

Adverse Possession

Finders

Divided Ownership (8 classes)

Estates in Land

Rules of the Game

Co-Ownership

Marital Property

Leases: Then

Leases: Now

Eviction and Transfers of Interest

Condominiums, Co-ops, and Common Interest Communities

Transfers (6 classes)

Licenses and Bailments

Abandonment, Gifts, and Wills

Trusts and Corporations

Security Interests

The Good Faith Purchaser

Recording Acts

Neighbors (3 classes)

Nuisance

Easements

Covenants

Government (2 classes)

Zoning

Takings

Final Exam