Property Law (Bell)

Spring 2011 Syllabus

(January 11, 2011)

Readings: The casebook we will be using is Thomas Merrill & Henry Smith, PROPERTY: PRINCIPLES
AND POLICIES (2007).

While I like the materials in the casebook, I’m not crazy about the order in which they’re presented. For
that reason, I’ve rearranged the order of the readings. We will not read the casebook in order.

There are 26 topics listed on this syllabus. Please try to stay one topic ahead. E.g., if we finish a class
somewhere in the middle of topic #15, the reading assignment for the next class is through the end of
topic #16.

Please note that the pace picks up considerably toward the end. That is intentional.

Please also note that the speed at which the class moves through the material may differ from my
estimates. I will probably find it necessary to adjust the syllabus at least once through the semester to
suit the pace at which we are proceeding\.

Grading and assignments: The final exam is open book. In addition to the final exam, I will give you a
take-home midterm during the course of the semester. We will schedule a session to review the midterm
together. I will also take class participation into account.

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-3:30 (LRC311). If you can’t make it during those hours,
please contact me by email (avibell@sandiego.edu), and we can set up another mutually convenient
time.

Miscellany: We will not have any class on April 19 or April 21. We will have a final class/review
session on April 27 (tentatively at 1:00 PM).

1. Merrill & Smith, pages 81-95 (First Possession)

2. Merrill & Smith, pages 102-120, 134-147 (First Possession; Discovery; and Creation, part I)
Optional: pages 95-102, 120-134
3. Merrill & Smith, pages 147-164 (Creation, part II)
4. Merrill & Smith, pages 165-172, 9-15, 175-183 (Accession, part I)
Optional: pages 172-175
5. Merrill & Smith, pages 183-208 (Accession, part II; and Adverse Possession, part I)
6. Merrill & Smith, pages 208-227 (Adverse Possession, part II; and Sequential Possession)
7. Merrill & Smith, pages 227-242, 1-9 (Competing Acquisition Principles and Trespass, part I)
8. Merrill & Smith, pages 40-56 (Trespass, part II)
Optional: pages 15-40
9. Merrill & Smith, pages 427-439, 67-80, 439-442 (Self Help and Necessity)
10. Merrill & Smith, pages 442-480 (Discrimination)
11. Merrill & Smith, pages 480-497 (Licenses)
12. Merrill & Smith, pages 497-518 (Bailments)
13. Merrill & Smith, pages 518-537 (Abandonment; and Transfer, part I)
14. Merrill & Smith, pages 537-562 (Transfer, part II; and Estates in Land, part I)
15. Merrill & Smith, pages 562-579 (Estates in Land, part II)
16. Merrill & Smith, pages 587-589, 593-595, 607-620 (Estates in Land, part III)
17. Merrill & Smith, pages 620-633, 595-607 (Estates in Land, part IV)
18. Merrill & Smith, pages 633-656 (Concurrent Ownership, part I)
19. Merrill & Smith, pages 656-683 (Concurrent Ownership, part II)
20. Merrill & Smith, pages 683-690, 589-593, 691-702 (Leaseholds, part I)
21. Merrill & Smith, pages 702-735 (Leaseholds, part II)
22. Merrill & Smith, pages 735-772 (Leaseholds, part III)
23. Merrill & Smith, pages 782-804, 809-829 (Common Interest Communities; and Trusts)
24. Merrill & Smith, pages 884-900, 917-936 (Transfer of Title)
25. Merrill & Smith, pages 971-1013 (Easements)
26. Merrill & Smith, pages 1013-1049 (Covenants)