Property Treatise – Thoroughly Updated and Revised

This overview of property law addresses both classic and contemporary topics covered in the first-year property course in a clear, accessible format. The book offers clear explanations of property law, with numerous examples, analysis of key cases, and issues followed by hypotheticals. The book places emphasis on disagreements among states about applicable rules, with explanations of conflicting issues.

With extraordinary clarity and insight, Joseph William Singer has written a comprehensive overview of the rules and doctrines of property law. Joined by Professor Nestor M. Davidson, the authors have thoroughly updated and revised the seventh edition of the treatise to reflect recent developments. The numerous examples and hypotheticals in Property, Seventh Edition contribute to a rich pedagogy that illuminates both classic and contemporary topics.

Updated throughout, the Seventh Edition of Property includes: 

• City of Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024), which held that the Eighth Amendment does not prevent the prosecution of homeless people for sleeping on the streets; 
• Updates in intellectual property, including the important clarification of fair use doctrine under copyright in Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith (2023); and 
• Supreme Court developments in regulatory takings, notably Tyler v. Hennepin County (2023), holding that owners are entitled to surplus equity after tax foreclosure, and Sheetz v. County of El Dorado (2024), holding that legislative exactions are subject to the Nollan/Dolan analysis. 

Professors and students will benefit from: 

• Clear explanations of legal doctrine based on research to make sure the rules are up-to-date 
• Attention to both federal and state statutes that regulate property use and transfer 
• Generous use of hypotheticals that illustrate the application of rules and doctrine 
• Analysis of “hard cases” with short summaries of the strongest arguments on both sides of the issue 
• Attention to differences among the states and the reasons why states adopt different rules