| Eminent Domain and the Public Use Doctrine |
|
| Eminent domain refers to the power of a government entity to take private property. The power can be used by the federal government in the name of a federal agency or a branch of the military services. A state, county, city, village, or town can also use the power of eminent domain to take private property on its own behalf or on behalf of an agency of a governmental entity. In all cases, the governmental entity may only exercise the power of eminent domain, also called condemnation, if it needs the private property for a public use. More... |
|
|
| The Historic Homeowner -- Federal Laws of Interest |
|
| On the federal level, the subject of historic preservation is governed by numerous laws, including the Antiquities Act of 1906, the Historic Sites Act of 1935, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, to name a few. More... |
|
|
| Mortgages -- Satisfaction |
|
| When a borrower pays off a mortgage or deed of trust, the lender on the mortgage or deed of trust must record a notice that it no longer holds a security interest in the mortgaged property. The laws governing such notifications vary from state to state, and the laws of each state must be consulted individually for further details. A satisfaction of mortgage may also be known as a release or cancellation. More... |
|
|
| Mortgage Servicing |
|
| Jason just settled on his first home. During the closing Jason received a document that discussed mortgage servicing. In essence, the document indicated that Jason's lender transferred 99.9% of the loans it originated in the last year to another entity. And, just yesterday, Jason received a notice from his lender of its intention to sell his loan. What does all of this mean? More... |
|
|
| Possession |
|
| An owner of property retains ownership of that property even though the owner has lost or misplaced the property. However, anyone who finds and possesses the lost or misplaced property retains a right to possess it against everyone except the true owner.
More... |
|
|