MBE Flashcards
Larceny
Taking and carrying away the personal property of another by trespass with intent to permanently deprive.
Burglary
Breaking and entering the dwelling of another at night with intent to commit a felony therein
First Degree Murder
Typically defined by statute; killing another with either (a) deliberation or premeditation or (b) during the commission of an enumerated felony
Common Law Murder
Killing another with malice aforethought: (a) intent to kill; (b) intent to inflict great bodily harm; (c) reckless disregard for an unjustifiably high risk to human life [depraved heart]; or (d) intent to commit a felony
6A right to counsel
Applies to all critical stages of the prosecution and attaches to a specific offense upon initiation of criminal proceedings. Once attached, the police are prohibited from eliciting incriminating statements from D without the presence of counsel, unless D knowingly and voluntarily waives. The right applies to post-charge lineups and show ups, but does not apply to photo arrays.
Identifications: 14A DP
Identifications that are unnecessarily suggestive and present a substantial likelihood of misidentification violate the Due Process Clause. The identification must be extremely suggestive and the suggestiveness must have been initiated by the police. While show ups are unduly suggestive, they are a permissible identification method.
Marketable title
Reasonably free from doubt / unreasonable risk of litigation
It’s an implied covenant and the seller is only liable on it up until closing, after which the language of the deed controls
Earnest $
In a land sale contract, S will often require B to deposit earnest money in the event B defaults in performance. S can keep as liquidated damages so long as amount is reasonable
Theories under which seller can be liable for defects in existing building
- Misrepresentation
- Active concealment
- Failure to disclose (1-knows/should know; 2-latent; 3-serious)
General disclaimer won’t absolve seller
Inter vivos gift [deed] requires…
1-donative intent
2-delivery
3-acceptance
Deed formalities—requires…
1-writing
2-signed by grantor
3-reasonably identifies their parties and land
Void v voidable deeds
Void- will be set aside, even if property passed to BFP
Void when…forged; never delivered; fraud in factum [baseball autographs]
Voidable- will not be set aside, unless property has passed to BFP
Voidable when…minor-party executes; fraud; mistake; duress
Rules of construction for land description
Must give good lead
Hierarchy 1-natural monuments 2-artificial monuments 3-angles 4-distances 5-quantity
Avulsion v accretion
Avulsion—sudden change; does NOT change ownership
Accretion—slow change; does change ownership
Deeds—grounds for reformation
Misrepresentation
Scrivenor’s error
Mutual mistake
Deeds: delivery and acceptance
Delivery: intent to make deed presently effective; take back is not effective
Acceptance: presumed in most states
General warranty deed
1-seisin: title + possession
2-right to convey: title
3-against encumbrances
4-quiet enjoyment: won’t be disturbed in possession by lawful claim
5-warranty: will defend/compensate
6-further assurances: will perfect
Special warranty deed
Grantor not liable for defects that existed before the grantor was deeded the property
Estoppel by deed
Trigger: when S deeds property to A, which he does not own
What happens: if S later acquires property, he will lose against the grantee (title automatically inures in grantee). But, if S grants to A, then grants to B, B will prevail over A if B is a BFP
Shelter rule
A person who takes from a BFP will prevail against anyone whom the BFP would have prevailed against, even if the person has notice of the prior unrecorded transaction
Record notice
Deed is in chain of title, meaning that a searcher could reasonably find it
Effect of recording
Gives prospective subsequent grantees constructive notice; creates a presumption of valid delivery, but won’t validate an invalid deed
Recording protects BFPs
Ademption
[TESTATOR NO LONGER OWNS]
When property is devised in testator’s will, but TESTATOR NO LONGER OWNS it at the time of death, the gift fails
Exoneration
[PAYMENT FROM RESIDUARY ESTATE]
CL doctrine where devisee of specific property is entitled to have land exonerated by payment of liens and mortgages from the testator’s residuary estate