The Law

[Beat Mango]

Anyone else studying law? Post here... (particularly if you're from a different country to mine, Australia - it'd be interesting to compare)

If you're not a lawyer - do you have any theoretical qualms or grievances about the legal system?

 

[ApostateAbe]

I have worked in a business that dealt a lot with land law. One of the weirder principles is called "adverse possession." I don't know if it is present in Australia, though I suspect it is, because it has roots in colonial England. If a person lives on land and takes care of it for long enough (around five or ten years), then he gains full title to it, even if the title started out as belonging to someone else. The principle is that the people who maintain the land should have the right to it, but occasionally I catch news of people who are no better than thieves using that common law to underhandedly steal other people's real estate. Some states have made adverse possession extremely difficult for that reason, but many states have not. Do you know anything about that? It would be an obscure principle even among lawyers, unless you specialize in land law.

 

[snafupants]

^ That goes a long way in explaining the lawn care service folk loitering in the corner of my yard. Back, my big screen television!

 

[Beat Mango]

Well I'm only new to law and haven't done land or property law, but I know in Australia we have a thing called "squatter's rights", where if you live in a place long enough, yes, you can assume ownership. Actually they must have it in Greece too, because my uncle, as the owner of a house there, is in court at the moment against a guy who's been maintaining it (ie, leasing and making money off it) in his absence without his permission.

 

[walfin]

but I know in Australia we have a thing called "squatter's rights"

I think in Australia, adverse possession is a bit different because of the Torrens system. So it depends on the statute in each state.

I go to law school too! My country, like many others, copied Australia's property law. So we've read a number of Australian cases. My land law professor was Aussie.

 

[Beat Mango]

I think in Australia, adverse possession is a bit different because of the Torrens system. So it depends on the statute in each state.

I go to law school too! My country, like many others, copied Australia's property law. So we've read a number of Australian cases. My land law professor was Aussie.

Really? Where's that, I'd guess Hong Kong??

How do you go at your uni? Do you find you've got an advantage over other non-INTPs, or a disadvantage? I don't think it's a perfect match for our personality type, but not the worst either. It certainly forces me to "get out of my head", because you obviously have to look at facts, statutes, etc, and can't just rely on logical inferences.... I'm not sure yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing.