In my childhood house, there was a pathway that ran through the neighbor’s backyard, continued through our backyard, and ended in the communal alley at the end of our row of houses. Issues often arose over the communal uses of these pathways to bring items out to the alley, requiring that neighbors trek through each other’s backyards. These issues most often resulted from discontent over the lack of privacy in one’s own backyard when neighbors traipse through, especially during the summer months when people are more active outside.

In 2019, a couple in Pennsylvania discovered that their bank accidentally deposited $120,000 into their account. A BB&T Bank teller entered the wrong account number when a customer in Georgia made the deposit. When the customer contacted the bank to ask about the missing deposit, the money was found to have gone into the Williamses’ joint account. Upon discovery of their sudden windfall, the couple proceeded to spend the surprise money on an SUV, a camper, two four wheelers and a car trailer, instead of contacting the bank to ask about the situation.

In early February, an adorable two-year-old goldendoodle was left at the airport by its owner and subsequently adopted by one of the officers who found him. The owner arrived at the airport with her goldendoodle, now named JetBlue, to take a flight but was unable to bring JetBlue because he was not properly registered. Due to the inconvenience, the owner left JetBlue behind and took the flight. Officer Black was one of the original officers to find JetBlue at the airport. The police cited the owner for abandoning JetBlue and then brought him to the shelter. The owner did not reclaim JetBlue in the ten-day recovery period offered to owners.

Dupe culture has challenged brands to grapple with how they can protect their designs. In 2013, brands began marketing their products to consumers on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. Fast-fashion retailers noticed the gap between consumers who desired to purchase trending products but could not afford them and began replicating popular designs and selling them for cheaper prices.  

I once had a landlord in Los Angeles who rented out rooms in his house for about $900, which is ridiculously cheap for the city. Unfortunately, the landlord turned out to be more of a slumlord. One time, he left tomatoes on the counter and let them mold, leaving fruit flies all over the house. He also did not let us use the A/C, so the house would get to around 85°F in the summer. The air quality was so bad that I was hospitalized due to my asthma. I never thought I could have a crazier housing situation…boy was I wrong.

Have you ever rented an apartment unit in college or in the city? If so, you might recall a time when you encountered a noisy neighbor. Quick-build luxury apartments often breed noise pollution because management companies will sacrifice high quality building material for cheap alternatives. The result is disruptive noise, frustrated tenants, and deceptive leasing agents looking to sell units quickly.

Is the internet an essential service? If so, should the government regulate internet service prices? This past January, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that internet access was a “fundamental right” as New York’s Affordable Broadband Act (ABA) went into effect. This law requires that internet service providers (ISPs) in the state provide low-cost internet access to qualifying low-income households. ISPs argued that the ABA would increase demand on their networks and raise their expenditures, while the low state-set prices would not provide them with the necessary money to cover these additional costs. According to these ISPs, this will lower internet speeds for all state residents, regardless of whether they have internet access through the ABA or under an ordinary internet plan. A California legislator recently introduced a similar bill in her state. She argued that families need to access the internet for education, telehealth, employment opportunities, and more.

Generative AI has brought a number of gifts and burdens to the world, particularly in the field of intellectual property law. AI has challenged norms about what can be patented, who (or what) can create artwork, what rights of publicity celebrities have to defend themselves regarding AI imitations of their likeness, and where those rights and limits begin and end.

If you come across a floating package in the middle of the ocean, just drifting away, can you claim ownership over it? You might think, “Sure, why not? Finders keepers.” However, it’s hardly that simple as it depends on several underlying factors. For one, there might be competing property interests. The parties here can typically be narrowed down to two key players: the original owner of the goods and the party that finds it. However, in some cases, there may be a third-party interest. This can occur when the first party to retrieve the floating goods unintentionally loses control of it, letting it float away again and a new finder retrieves it.

Tuvalu’s sinking raises questions about the private property interests of Tuvaluan property owners. Using American property law as a reference point, we can uncover approaches to answer whether Tuvalu’s national status can be preserved under a theory of property.