Sources of Law Outline

Real Estate Principals and Practices

Prepared by:

Jan E. Beran, Esq.

Sources of Real Estate Law:

1. Roots of the Law

   a. English Law
   b. Influences from Spanish and French
   c. Constitution - the supreme law of the land

2. Legislative Branch  -  The "written" law

   a.  Congress

   b.  State Legislatures

3. Judicial Branch  (unwritten and common law) "Case Law"

   a.  Judicial Decisions

   b.  Federal Court system

   c.  State Court system (Nebraska)

4. Executive branch - Administrative Law

   a.  Federal:  HUD, EPA, IRS

   b.  State:

   c.  Local

5. Quasi governmental organizations and private regulation

   a.  Homeowner and neighborhood associations

   b.  Board of Realtors

   c.  Condominium Regimes

   d.  Planned Unit Developments

   e.  Professional associations

6. Legal Procedure

   a.  Substantive Law - the substance of the matter - creates and

       defines rights and duties

   b.  Procedural Law - the procedure to enforce the rights - the

       means of enforcing and protecting the rights.

7. Where to find "the law"

   a.  Primary Authority

   b.  Secondary Authority

8. Anatomy of a Law Suit

   a.  Claim arises

   b.  Demand

   c.  Refusal to satisfy

   d.  Draft Complaint

       i.  Petition

       ii. Praecipe

   e.  Service of Process (Summons)

       i.  Types of Service

       ii. Answer date

   f.  Motion practice

   g.  Motion for default judgment

   h.  Discovery

   i.  Summary Judgment

   j.  Trial

   k.  Judgment

   l.  Appeal

   m.  Enforcement of Judgment

   n.  Satisfaction of judgment

9. Laws which affect Real Estate:

   a.  Judicial:  (Common law)

   b.  Legislative: (Statutory)

   c.  Executive: (Administrative regulations)