Book Description

Property Law: Practice, Problems, and Perspectives, Second Edition is a truly contemporary 1L Property text. This book is distinguished by its extraordinarily clear and engaging writing, and by the degree to which the authors make the material accessible and enjoyable to students in this foundational course. The authors embrace the task of training lawyers, and as a result, their text regularly asks students to answer questions and solve problems from the perspective of attorneys. The authors delve fully into legal doctrine and address profound policy issues in a direct and understandable manner, drawing upon an outstanding range of case opinions, including those from seminal cases as well those from recent and provocative disputes. The text uses a two-color design and includes a wonderful selection of photographs. Important documents useful to teaching particular cases and material are reproduced throughout. Property Law: Practice, Problems, and Perspectives is more than just a text. It incorporates a truly unique online simulation that features practice-ready materials and professionally-produced, author-scripted videos that illuminate property law issues and disputes. The text regularly references documents used in practice, which are available to students in the simulation. New to the Second Edition: Revised and updated case opinions and textual discussion. For example: The section addressing the Fair Housing Act now includes a discussion of disparate impact litigation after Texas Dept. of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. The chapter devoted to takings law now includes summaries of Horne v. Dept. of Agriculture and Murr v. Wisconsin. New and sometimes startling images, such as a subdivision-marketing poster from San Diego in 1915 that offers a frightening example of pervasive discriminatory housing practices that existed prior to the Fair Housing Act. Enjoyable new problems drawn from reported case opinions. For example, the problem of “The Obstinate Ex,” involving a couple who live together in a home owned individually by one of them. When that person breaks off the relationship, the other refuses to move out, claiming an interest in the property. Professors and students will benefit from: A blend of property doctrine and real-world practice, featuring a stimulating, challenging presentation that is also transparent. The book retains the subtlety of the classic texts but comments explicitly on the overlapping elements to ensure that students can see all the connections among legal doctrines. A unique interactive element that teaches students how to read a land survey, helping them understand the issues presented by the text in case opinions and problems. The transactional perspective adopted by the authors in relevant chapters, such as real estate transactions and landlord/tenant law. A unique border along the edge of the text in the chapter on the real property transaction, allowing students to place key concepts and doctrinal material in the context of phases of the transaction. A robust electronic version of the casebook, along with online videos and practice-ready materials. A book that is the ideal text for a four-unit course, but includes ample coverage permitting a professor to construct a five- or six-unit course.