Definitions Flashcards
Legal Subject
Any person capable of acting as a subject in legal relationships and of acquiring rights and incurring duties in the process.
Legal Object
Every object with which a legal subject has a legally recognized relationship. Divided into things, performances, immaterial property and personal property.
Thing
An independent part of the corporeal world which is external to humans and subject to human control as well as useful and valuable to humans.
Law
Body of rules and norms which regulates and harmonizes society by demarcating the rights and duties of legal subjects.
Real Relationship
The particular legal relationship between one or more legal subjects and a thing. Broader than ‘real right’ since it includes real rights and certain unlawful real relationships.
Real Right
A lawful real relationship between a legal subject and a thing which confers direct control over the thing as well as relationship between legal subject and all other legal subjects who must respect such a relationship.
Entitlements
Capacities conferred on a legal subject by virtue of the right. Refers to content of the right and determines which acts the legal subject is entitled to perform in regard to a thing.
Functions of Law of Things
Strives to harmonize/regulate competing ownership rights.
Strives to harmonize/regulate owners right to thing with rights of other limited real right holders to same thing.
Controls acquisition, protection and extinctions of things and real rights.
Sources of current Law of Things
- Constitution
- Statute Law
- Case Law
- Common/Indigenous Law
Characteristics of a Thing
Corporeality External to Humans Independence Subject to Human Control Useful and Valuable to Humans
Property
Everything that forms as part of a persons estate can be described as property. Includes a variety of assets such as things, personal rights and immaterial property rights.
Fungible and Non- Fungible Things
Fungible - Res Fungibiles - REPLACEABLE
Non-Fungible - Res Non Fungibiles - IRREPLACEABLE
Depends on whether they have individual characteristics or belong to a certain kind or genus.
Singular/Composite Things
Depends on whether consists of a single piece or a composition of constituent parts. Composite thing regarded as one thing.
Consumable/Non-Consumable Things
Consumable - Res Consumptibiles - used up or value considerably diminished by ordinary use.
Non-Consumable - Res Non Consumptibiles - preserved in spite of normal use.
Movables/Immovables
Immovables - consist of land and everything that is permanently attached including natural attachments like plants and artificial fixtures like buildings and structures.
Divisible/Indivisible
Thing is divisible if it can be divided without losing its essential characteristics into smaller parts which can function essentially the same as the original thing.
Indivisible cannot be divided without destroying or changing nature of thing.
Principal Thing
The independent thing made up of various parts with an independent existence as a composite thing. Not a constituent or supplementary part of another thing.
Accessory Thing
Can have a separate existence apart from the composite thing but has forfeited its independent existence in that it has been physically joined to the principal thing.
Auxiliary Thing
Can have independent existence apart from the composite thing. However it forfeits its independent existence won’t out being physically joined to the principal thing, it is economically dependent on the principal thing.
Personal Right/Creditors Right
Concern a relationship between persons. Entitled creditor to claim performance from a particular person only. Relative operation and can only be enforced against person obliged to perform.
Ownership
The most comprehensive real right a person can have with regard to a thing. In principle a person can act upon and with this thing as he/she pleases. This apparent freedom is restricted by the law and the rights of others.
Entitlements of Ownership
Uses the thing or the fruits. Control(possess) the thing. Consume or destroy the thing. Alienate the thing. Burden the thing. Vindicate the thing.
Limitations on Ownership
Imposed by law -
Statutory limitations
Neigbour law principles
Imposed by rights of other legal subjects-
Limited real rights
Personal rights
Original Methods of Acquisition of Ownership
- Appropriation
- Accession
- Mixing of Solids/Mingling of Liquids
- Manufacturing
- Acquisition of Fruits
- Treasure Trove
- Expropriation
- Prescription
Original/ Derivative Methods
Original - no cooperation from a predecessor in title. No transfer in ownership.
Derivative- cooperation from predecessor in title. Right which transferee obtains is derived from the former owner.
Appropriation
Appropriation or occupation (occupatio) is defined as the unilateral taking of physical control of a thing which does not belong to anyone (res nullius) but which is wishing the sphere of law (res commercio) with the intention of becoming owner.
Requirements of Appropriation
Control
Thing which does not belong to anyone
Intention of becoming owner
Instances of the Application of Neighbour Law
Nuisance Lateral and Surface Support Encroachments Surface Water Party Walls and Fences Elimination of Dangers
Sowing and Planting
An original method of acquiring ownership in terms of which growing things accede to land and become the property of the land. Takes place as soon as plants take root in soil.
Accession (Accessio)
Original method of acquiring ownership which takes place when an accessory thing becomes merged with a principal thing, result that the two things become one entity. Accessory thing loses independence and becomes part of the principal thing. Owner of principal thing is owner of composite thing.
Building
Original method of acquiring ownership in terms of which a movable thing (accessory thing) becomes attached to land (principal thing) in such a manner that it loses its independence and forms and entity with the land becoming part of the land owner’s land.
Law of Things
A branch of private law which consists of a number of legal rules that determine the nature, content, beating, protection, transfer and termination of various real relationships between a legal subject and a thing, as well as rights and duties ensuing from these relationships.
Criteria Applied to Determine If Movable Has Become Attached to Immovable
Nature and purpose of attached thing.
Manner and degree of attachment.
Intention of the person attaching it or the intention of the owner of the movable.
Mixing
Original method of acquiring ownership in terms of which movable things belonging to different persons are mixed together without consent of owners in such a manner that movable a cannot be separated. Joint ownership in proportion of value.
Manufacture (Specification/Specificatio)
Original method of acquiring ownership in terms of which ownership acquired by unauthorized production of a completely new things, using thing belonging to another. Manufacturer becomes owner but bound to compensate. If can be reduced to form of material, owner still owner.
Acquisition of Fruits
Original method of ownership which takes place when a person who is entitled to separate or father fruits does so. Upon separation fruits become independent and susceptible to acquisition of ownership.
Expropriation
Original method of acquiring ownership in terms of which the state acquired ownership of a movable or immovable without the consent of owner against payment or compensation. s25 of the Constitution empowers state to expropriate property for public purposes and against payment of compensation.
Prescription
Original method of acquiring ownership in terms of which a person who controls a thing openly and as if were owner for an uninterrupted period of 30 years becomes its owner.
Interruption
Period of prescription that has already run is terminated and the period of prescription must begin to run anew (de nova.)
Suspension
Temporary suspension of a period of prescription. Period which has already run does not lapse but the running of prescription is suspended and can recommence at a later date.
Delivery
Ownership of movable things is transferred by means of delivery. Consists of two elements, physical (corpus) and mental (animus) both must be present at the transfer.
Constructive/Fictitious Delivery (traditio ficta)
Not a physical or actual handing over.
3 situations:
Placed in position to exercise physical control.
Already in physical control.
Position where someone else exercises physical control on their behalf.
Delivery with the Long Hand
Traditio longa Manu
Transfer of the thing not possible because of the size or weight. The thing to be transferred is pointed out to the transferee in the presence of the thing. Placed in position enabling him/her to exercise physical control to the exclusion of others.
Delivery with the Short Hand
Traditio brevi Manu
No transfer of physical control takes place as the transferee is already in control of the thing although not as owner. Clear indication of intention requirement.
Constitutum Possessorium
Certain sense opposite of delivery with the short hand. Transferor retains physical control over the thing which he has agreed to transfer ownership to the transferee. Only the intention toward the thing undergoes change.
Attornment
Derivative method of ownership where transferor, transferee and a third party ( who is in control of the thing and will continue to control it) agree that the third party will control the thing on behalf of the transferee as owner.
Requirements for Attornment
- Tripartite Agreement - all three parties must consent.
2. Holder should exercise physical control.
Rei Vindicatio
A real action with which the owner can claim his or her thing from whoever is in control of it unlawfully (without owner’s permission or consent.) may be instituted in regard to movables or Immovables.
Requirements for Rei Vindicatio
- He/she is the owner
- The thing exists and is identifiable
- The defendant is in control
Estoppel
A defense which can be raised against an owner’s Rei Vindicatio where the owner of a certain thing, through his or her conduct, culpably leads third parties to believe that someone else is the owner of the thing or is authorized to alienate said thing and the third party, relying on this representation, obtains control of the thing and in doing so acts to his/her detriment.
Requirements for Estoppel
- Representation
- Fault
- Detriment
- Causal Connection