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Understanding Property Law Basics

Dive into Chapter 4, exploring the distinctions between present possessory estates and future interests, fee simple, and more. Get ready to grasp the fundamentals of property law.

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Understanding Property Law Basics

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  1. PROPERTY A SLIDES 3-17-15

  2. Tuesday March 17Wynton Marsalis, TrumpetClassic Wynton (1998) Detailed Instructions on Course Page for Thursday: • REDWOOD: Problem 4I • REDWOOD: DQ4.13 • SHENANDOAH: Problem 4O

  3. Survey for Youfrom President’s Campus Coalition on Sexual Violence Prevention & Education • Purpose: To gather data on sexual assault and intimate violence on campus (incidence; official responses; attitudes, etc.) • Part of Nationwide Initiative on Sexual Violence at American Universities • Law Prof. Donna Coker is part of the UM Task Force and one of the survey authors. • Participation is voluntary and responses are anonymous.  •  The survey is available at http://studentvoice.com/miami/communityattitudesspring2015 • Please consider participating!!

  4. CHAPTER 4:The Shadow of the PastSource Of Chapter Title?

  5. CHAPTER 4: The Shadow of the Past • Syllabus Section E: Rules Furthering Alienability • Not On Test; Information Only (NOTIO) • NOTIO includes The Rule Against Perpetuities: One Rule to Rule Them All, One Rule to Find Them, One Rule to Bring Them All and in the Darkness Bind Them.

  6. Previously in Property A Chapter 4: Distinctions You Need to Know Present Possessory Estates v. Future Interests Fee Simple v.Finite Present Estates Interests Following Finite Estates: Reversions v. Remainders Vested v. Contingent Remainders Common Law v. Today Defeasible Interests: Determinable v. on Condition Subsequent (We’ll Review & Revisit on Thursday)

  7. WARM-UP/REVIEW: Basic DistinctionsPresent Possessory Estates v. Future Interests PRESENT POSSESSORY ESTATE: Entitles holder to immediate and current use and possession of the land in question. FUTURE INTEREST: Holder has no right to immediate and current use and possession of the land, but instead right to potentially use and possess the land at some point in the future. Possession may be relatively certain to occur (e.g., Vested Remainders, some Reversions) or dependent on uncertain conditions (e.g., Contingent Remainders, Possibilities of Reverter)

  8. WARM-UP/REVIEW: Basic DistinctionsPresent Possessory Estates v. Future Interests PRESENT POSSESSORY ESTATES • Fee Simple • Life Estate • Term of Years • Fee Tail FUTURE INTERESTS • Reversion • Possibility of Reverter • Right of [Re]Entry • Vested Remainder • Contingent Remainder • Executory Interest

  9. WARM-UP/REVIEW: Basic DistinctionsFee Simple v. Finite Present Estates FEE SIMPLE: Entitles holder to immediate and current use and possession of the land in question and rights to use, possess and transfer it for the infinite future. FINITE PRESENT ESTATE: Entitles holder to immediate and current use and possession of the land in question. Rights end at a fixed point in the future: Life Estate: End of Original Grantee’s Life Term of Years: End of Specified Length of Time Fee Tail (Common Law): End of Grantee’s Direct Line of Descent

  10. WARM-UP/REVIEW: Basic DistinctionsInterests Following Finite Estates Reversion v. Remainder REVERSION: Future interest implicitly retained by grantor when s/he conveys a finite estate without indicating who will have rights when it expires. REMAINDER: Future interest in a third party that follows naturally upon the termination of a finite estate. It is always expressly conveyed by the grantor.

  11. WARM-UP/REVIEW: Basic DistinctionsVested v. Contingent Remainder VESTEDIF: Grantee is living ascertainable person AND Clause creating the remainder contains no condition on grantee taking the property except expiration of prior estate. CONTINGENTIF: Grantee is presently unborn or unascertainableOR Clause creating the remainder contains an explicit condition on grantee taking the property.

  12. WARM-UP/REVIEW: BasicsRemainders in … “To Fred for life, then to Wilma for life.” Wilma has a vested remainder in life estate. “To Fred for life,then to Wilma and her heirs if Dino survives Fred. Wilma has a contingent remainder in fee simple absolute.

  13. WARM-UP/REVIEW: Basic DistinctionsCommon Law v. Today “At Common Law”: Dates prior to modern streamlining of the rules. (e.g., 1600-1800) “Today”: Dates after modern streamlining of the rules. (e.g., 1950-present)

  14. WARM-UP/REVIEW: Basic DistinctionsCommon Law v. Today “At Common Law” • Default Estate = Life Estate • Fee Tail is Available “Today” • Default Estate = Fee Simple • Fee Tail Eliminated in All Jurisdictions

  15. PLEASE HOLD QUESTIONSUNTILWE FINISH PROBLEM 4N

  16. Executory Interests

  17. Executory Interest • Future interest in grantee. • Cuts off prior vested interest (present estate or reversion or vested remainder) rather than waiting for it to expire naturally.

  18. Pre-1536 (= Pre-“Common Law”) Limitations on Future Interests in Grantees • Must follow finite estate. • Must be capable of taking effect at the expiration of preceding estate. • Must not take effect before the expiration of the preceding estate. Elimination of these Rules in 1536 Allows Creation of Executory Interests

  19. Executory Interests Shifting v. Springing Executory Interest • No legal consequence; just categorization • Shifting Executory Interest cuts off interest of another grantee • Springing Executory Interest cuts off grantor’s fee simple or reversion • Physical Model/Analogy (if helpful)

  20. Executory Interests EXAMPLES Shifting Executory Interest: To Justin & his heirs so long as no tobacco is grown on the land, otherwise to Erik and his heirs.

  21. Executory Interests EXAMPLES Springing Executory Interest: To Chantelle if she passes the California bar exam. Grantor who started with Fee Simple Absolute is left with Fee Simple on Executory Limitation

  22. (4F) Reggie“to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” Let’s Return to Problem 4F & Riverdale High

  23. (4F) Reggie“to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” • Veronica: Life Estate • Betty: Contingent Remainder in Fee Simple • Reggie: Reversion • What if Veronica dies while Betty is still age 17? • Life Estate is Over • Betty Can’t Take; Condition Not Met • So Who Gets What?

  24. (4F) Reggie“to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.”Veronica dies while Betty is still age 17 Common Law • If contingency not met when prior estate ends, contingent remainder is destroyed. • Betty has nothing. • If Betty isn’t ready, she loses her “table.” • Reggie’s Reversion becomes Fee Simple Absolute

  25. Doctrine of Destructability of Contingent Remainders (Common Law)First Common Application If contingency not met when prior estate ends, contingent remainder is destroyed.

  26. Doctrine of Destructability of Contingent Remainders Today: Overruled by statute or caselaw in everyAmerican jurisdiction except …

  27. Doctrine of Destructability of Contingent Remainders (Today) Overruled by statute or caselaw in every American jurisdiction except …

  28. (4F) Reggie“to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.”Veronica dies while Betty is still age 17 Today (except FL) • If contingency not met when prior estate ends, we wait to see if it is met later. • Betty’sremainderbecomes an executory interest. • Reggie takes possession and has fee simple on executory limitation (cut off if B turns 21)

  29. (4F) Reggie“to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.”Veronica dies while Betty is still age 17 Today (except FL)

  30. Doctrine of Destructability of Contingent Remainders (Common Law)Second Common Application Where there is a life estate, one or more contingent remainders, and a reversion, and the life estate and reversion merge into a fee simple, the contingent remainders are destroyed.

  31. Doctrine of Destructability of Contingent Remainders Second Common Application • Jackie “to Nicole for life, then to Shadia if Shadia passes a bar exam.

  32. Doctrine of Destructability of Contingent Remainders Second Common Application (Common Law) • Jackie “to Nicole for life, then to Shadia if Shadia passes a bar exam. • Nicole purchases Reversion from Jackie • Life Estate & ReversionMerge  Fee Simple Absolute • Shadia’sContingentRemainder is Destroyed ↓ ↓ ↓ Merge & Destroy ↓ ↓ ↓

  33. Today (Everywhere except Florida)Merger without Destruction • Jackie “to Nicole for life, then to Shadia if Shadia passes a bar exam. • Nicole purchases Reversion from Jackie • Life Estate & ReversionMerge  Fee Simple on Executory Limitation • Shadia’sContingentRemainder Becomes an Executory Interest ↓ ↓ ↓ Merge ↓ ↓ ↓

  34. YELLOWSTONE (Problems 4J-4N) GIANT GEYSER

  35. YELLOWSTONE: (4J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." • Rhoda?

  36. YELLOWSTONE: (4J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." • Rhoda: Life Estate • Ted?

  37. YELLOWSTONE: (4J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." • Rhoda: Life Estate • Ted: Contingent Remainder (if today: in f.s.) • Anything Else?

  38. YELLOWSTONE: (4J):Mary"to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." • Rhoda: Life Estate • Ted: Contingent Remainder (if today: in f.s.) • Mary: Reversion

  39. YELLOWSTONE: (4J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Rhoda a proper funeral." • Rhoda: Life Estate • Ted? (Does Change from Mary’s Funeral to Rhoda’s Affect Nature of Ted’s Interest?)

  40. YELLOWSTONE: (4J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Rhoda a proper funeral." • Rhoda: Life Estate • Ted? (Does Change from Mary’s Funeral to Rhoda’s Affect Nature of Ted’s Interest?) • HINT: What would make a funeral not “proper”?

  41. YELLOWSTONE: (4J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives MaryRhoda a proper funeral." • Rhoda: Life Estate • Ted can’t possibly give Rhoda a “proper” funeral by the time Rhoda dies. • There will be a gap in time between the end of R’s life estate and Ted’s interest. • Thus, Ted’s interest cannot be a remainder; • So Ted has …?

  42. YELLOWSTONE: (4J):Mary"to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Rhoda a proper funeral." • Rhoda: Life Estate • Mary: Reversion • Ted: Springing Executory Interest (would cut off grantor’s interest: reversion)

  43. EXAM TIP: USE COMMON SENSE!! • Can’t give a “proper” funeral to a person until after the person has died.

  44. EXAM TIP: USE COMMON SENSE!! • Can’t give a “proper” funeral to a person until after the person has died. • Similarly, if an interest has been conveyed in a will, you can assume the grantor is dead (will would not have become effective until death of grantor).

  45. Life Estates & Remainders:Additional Information

  46. ME v. TEXTBOOK (P523) • The Textbook says the Common Law rule that a Life Estate was the default estate did not apply to grants in wills. • For our purposes, assume that, at Common Law, a Life Estate was the default estate under all circumstances.

  47. Alternative Contingent Remainders Two contingent remainders where the event that causes one to vest will destroy the other.

  48. Alternative Contingent Remainders Two contingent remainders where the event that causes one to vest will destroy the other. Example: Jordan grants: “To Kevin for life, then to Katherine and her heirs if she graduates from law school, but if she never graduates from law school, then to Sofia and her heirs”.

  49. Alternative Contingent Remainders Two contingent remainders for which the event that causes one to vest will destroy the other. Example: To Kevin for life, then to Katherine and her heirs if she graduates from law school, but if she never graduates from law school, then to Sofia and her heirs. Here, only two possibilities: either (1) Katherine will graduate from law school (and would then take) or (2) she will die before graduating from law school (Sofia would then take)

  50. Alternative Contingent Remainders Two contingent remainders for which the event that causes one to vest will destroy the other. Example: • Example: Jordan: “To Kevin for life, then to Katherine and her heirs if she graduates from law school, but if she never graduates from law school, then to Sofia and her heirs.” • Note: Even though the alternative contingent remainders might appear to exhaust all possibilities, the convention is that you still must pencil in a reversion in the grantor to fill up the time line. Thus, • Kevin has Life Estate • Katherine & Sofia each have an Alternate Contingent Remainder (in F.S.) • Jordan retains a Reversion

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