Personal Property Acquisition by Finding

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Personal PropertyAcquisition by Finding

• 2009 edition

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Amory v Delamirie

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Finding CasesWhat the Case Says What the Case
Means

• Armory v Delamirie
• F vs Stranger
• Key Fact F has poss. title
• against world except the TO

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Finding CasesWhat the Case Says What the Case
Means

• Armory v Delamirie
• F vs Stranger
• Key Fact F has poss. title
• against world except the TO

• Armory v Delamirie
• Holding unrevised but
• narrowed by later fact
• patterns

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Finding CasesWhat the Case Says What the Case
Means

• Armory v Delamirie
• F vs Stranger
• Key Fact F has poss. title
• against world except the TO
• Bridges v Hawkesworth
• F v Landowner
• Key Fact P not under
• protection/custody of shop

• Armory v Delamirie
• Holding unrevised but
• narrowed by later fact
• patterns

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Finding CasesWhat the Case Says What the Case
Means

• Armory v Delamirie
• F vs Stranger
• Key Point F has poss. title
• against world except the TO
• Bridges v Hawkesworth
• F v Landowner
• Key Fact P not under
• protection/custody of shop

• Armory v Delamirie
• Holding unrevised but
• narrowed by later fact
• patterns
• Bridges v Hawkesworth
• Key Fact P found in public
• part of shop

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Finding CasesWhat the Case Says What the Case
Means

• Armory v Delamirie
• F vs Stranger
• Key Fact F has poss. title
• against world except the TO
• Bridges v Hawkesworth
• F v Landowner
• Key Fact P not under
• protection/custody of shop
• South Staffordshire v Sharman
• F-EE v Landowner-ER
• Key Fact P embedded in land

• Armory v Delamirie
• Holding unrevised but
• narrowed by later fact
• patterns
• Bridges v Hawkesworth
• Key Fact P found in public
• part of shop

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Finding CasesWhat the Case Says What the Case
Means

• Armory v Delamirie
• F vs Stranger
• Key Fact F has poss. title
• against world except the TO
• Bridges v Hawkesworth
• F v Landowner
• Key Fact P not under
• protection/custody of shop
• South Staffordshire v Sharman
• F-EE v Landowner-ER
• Key Fact P embedded in land

• Armory v Delamirie
• Holding unrevised but
• narrowed by later fact
• patterns
• Bridges v Hawkesworth
• Key Fact P found in public
• part of shop
• South Staffordshire v Sharman
• Key Fact Servant (EE) find P
• For master (ER)

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Finding CasesWhat the Cases Say What the Cases
Mean

• Elwes v Briggs Gas
• Landlord v Tenant
• Key Facts
• 1. P a mineral part of land owned by LL
• 2. P part of soil part of land owned by LL
• 3. P chattel (not conveyed in lease to T)

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Finding CasesWhat the Cases Say What the Cases
Mean

• Elwes v Briggs Gas
• Landlord v Tenant
• Key Facts
• 1. P a mineral part of land owned by LL
• 2. P part of soil part of land owned by LL
• 3. P chattel (not conveyed in lease to T)

• Elwes v Briggs Gas
• Key Fact LL prevails over
• Tenant

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Finding CasesWhat the Cases Say What the Cases
Mean

• Elwes v Briggs Gas
• Landlord v Tenant
• Key Facts
• 1. P a mineral part of land owned by LL
• 2. P part of soil part of land owned by LL
• 3. P chattel (not conveyed in lease to T)
• Hanna v Peel
• F v Non-possessory Landowner
• Key Fact Landowner never had possession of land

• Elwes v Briggs Gas
• Key Fact LL prevails over
• Tenant

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Finding CasesWhat the Cases Say What the Cases
Mean

• Elwes v Briggs Gas
• Landlord v Tenant
• Key Facts
• 1. P a mineral part of land owned by LL
• 2. P part of soil part of land owned by LL
• 3. P chattel (not conveyed in lease to T)
• Hanna v Peel
• F v Non-possessory Landowner
• Key Fact Landowner never had possession of land

• Elwes v Briggs Gas
• Key Fact LL prevails over
• Tenant
• Hanna v Peel
• Holding not revised

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Finding CasesWhat the Case Says What the Case
Means

• Bishop v Ellsworth
• Trepasser vs Landowner
• Key Point Trespassers
• usually lose to landowner
• Jackson v Steinberg
• F-EE v ER
• Key Fact EE-F lose if turning
• over found P is part of job duties
• (chamber maid)
• Erickson v Sinykin
• F-EE v ER
• Key Fact F-EE wins if turning
• over found P is not part of job
• (interior decorator)

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Beyond the Common Law of Finding

• Mislaid Property (US)
• Common Law Treasure Trove (GB)
• Bon vacantia
• Modern equivalents
• Statutory Duties and Rights to Lost/Mislaid/Abando
  ned Property

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A Statutory Answer for Finding Issues NY
Legislation

• Definitions
• Lost Property
• Owner
• Finder
• Duty to Deposit Lost Property with Police
• Willful Refusal a Misdemeanor
• Duties of Police to Hold Lost Property
• Under 500 - six months
• 500 - 5000 one year
• Over 5000 - three years

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A Statutory Answer for Finding Issues NY
Legislation

• Disposition of Lost Property
• To Finder if still unclaimed
• Finder to reimburse expenses of custody
• Exceptions
• Criminal finder
• Employee with duty to deliver lost property
• Lost property in a safe deposit box
• Title to Lost Property
• Vest in finder or other proper party
• Effective on deposit with police

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Personal Property Flowchart on
FindingRemember True Owner (TO) always has
paramount ownership right.
Legend Prevailing Party (Case)
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End