The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for Murr v. Wisconsin, 137 S. Ct. 1933 (2017) Case Summary of Murr v. Wisconsin: Petitioners received two adjacent lots of land from their parents at two different times. They wanted to sell one lot, but a Wisconsin regulation prohibited the sale of the one lot. That was because the lot was adjacent to the […]
Read moreThe term “encumbrance” is used to describe a burden on a property that can reduce the value of the property. As an example, an encumbrance can be a mortgage. If someone owes $100,000 to the bank in the form of a mortgage, then he must pay the bank back that money upon selling the house, which reduces the amount of […]
Read moreThe term “seisin” refers to the legal possession of land. A person holding an estate in seisin is said to be “seized of it.” This means that he alone owns all of the land. The term “seisin” comes from the European Feudal era, and it was used as a way to specify who has taken over a plot of land […]
Read moreThe term “tenancy at sufferance” refers to the period during which a person renting a property continues to live on that property after his lease has expired, but before the landlord demands that he leave. In the event of a tenancy at sufferance, the original terms of the lease must be met, including the payment of any outstanding rent. If […]
Read moreA mortgagee is either a bank or an individual that lends money to a borrower, for the purpose of purchasing or refinancing a home or other real property. By placing a mortgage on the property, the lender ensures that it will receive repayment for the money lent. If those payments are not made by the mortgagor (the borrower), the lender […]
Read moreA mortgage is security for a loan that is given to a borrower who needs the money to purchase or refinance a home. The mortgagor is the borrower who makes payments to the lender, in return for the lender lending him the money. The mortgage is not the act of loaning the money to the borrower, but is the security […]
Read moreThe system of metes and bounds is one used in real estate to describe land or real property based on the physical features of its geography, as well as directions and distances. These features define the boundaries of a select parcel of land, and they may also include references to adjoining parcels of land and their owners. Once the description […]
Read moreA deed of trust is an agreement that is made between a lender and a borrower, to allow a neutral third party to act as a trustee over a piece of property. The trustee holds legal title to the property until the borrower can pay off his debt. As he repays the debt, the borrower keeps the actual title to […]
Read moreThe term “condemnation” is used to define the situation wherein a local, state, or federal government seizes a citizen’s property, then compensates the owner for what was seized. An example of condemnation is a piece of property being condemned by the government due to a carbon monoxide leak. The owners of the property will be forced to move out, and […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Dolan v. City of Tigard, 512 U.S. 374 (1994) Case Summary of Dolan v. City of Tigard: Petitioner Dolan sought to make changes to her business property. The City of Tigard placed two conditions on granting Dolan permission — a public greenway to mitigate flooding, and a pedestrian/bicycle path. Dolan appealed in state court, claiming […]
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