Overview Property rights are fundamental to farming and ranching. But what those rights actually include (and how secure they are) can become complicated when family disputes, government regulation, utility easements, property-tax valuation, or development agreements enter the picture. Five recent cases illustrate different aspects of the problem. Taken together, they […]Read more »
Real Property
144 posts
Overview For farmers and ranchers, private property is more than an investment – it is the foundation of their livelihood, their family legacy, and often their retirement security. Private property disputes rarely make national headlines, but two recent eminent-domain cases illustrate how judicial interpretation can either preserve or erode those […]Read more »
Overview A farmer receives an unexpected call from a site-selection consultant representing an unnamed company. The offer is several times the land’s agricultural value. The consultant wants a confidentiality agreement signed immediately and presents a three-year purchase option. The landowner wonders whether this is the opportunity of a lifetime—or the […]Read more »
Overview Farmland has long been viewed as one of the most stable forms of wealth in America. For many families, it represents generations of work, retirement security, mineral income, and a lasting connection to rural life. But an increasingly sophisticated form of fraud is exposing a dangerous vulnerability in modern […]Read more »
Overview The Kansas Court of Appeals recently issued a significant property-law decision in Clark v. McKee[1] involving a 40-acre Jefferson County farm and the severance of a joint tenancy with rights of survivorship. The court reached a result that may strike some as equitable under the facts. But in doing […]Read more »
What Farmers and Ranchers Need to Know Overview For many farmers and ranchers in the Midwest and West, the “fence line” isn’t just a physical boundary between pastures; it can also be a jurisdictional boundary between state and federal or tribal law. Navigating the complexities of Federal Indian Law is […]Read more »
New Protections for Property Rights, Water, and Rural Assets Overview The 2026 Kansas legislative session has been particularly active concerning agriculture and rural landowners, with lawmakers focusing heavily on property rights and water management. Several key bills have been signed into law that directly impact how Kansans farm, ranch, and […]Read more »
Why “Social Justice” Theories are the Newest Threat to Your Property Rights Overview The Founders understood that the primary function of property law is to provide certainty and stability. Property rights were so important that they are enshrined in the Bill of Rights. The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution requires […]Read more »
Identifying and Resolving Common Clouds on Farmland Titles Overview In the world of agricultural real estate, “clean title” is more than a legal formality—it is the bedrock of collateral for operating loans, USDA program eligibility, and long-term land stewardship. Unlike urban residential plots, farmland carries a unique set of historical […]Read more »
Identifying and Resolving Common Clouds on Farmland Titles Overview In the world of agricultural real estate, “clean title” is more than a legal formality—it is the bedrock of collateral for operating loans, USDA program eligibility, and long-term land stewardship. Unlike urban residential plots, farmland carries a unique set of historical […]Read more »