Government rights in land (PETE)

Question 1

How many rights does the government have on our land?

Answer 1

Four

Question 2

What is the acronym for the four rights the government has on our land?

Answer 2

PETE

Question 3

What does PETE stand for?

Answer 3

Police power
Eminent domain
Taxation
Escheat

Question 4

What is police power?

PETE

Answer 4

The right (of the government) to regulate and control the way land is used.

Question 5

What are some examples of police power?

Answer 5

i.e. zoning, wetlands legislation, environmental protection legislation, health & fire codes, etc.

Question 6

What is eminent domain? What is this called when they exercise this right?

Answer 6

Right of the government to take private land for public use. It is called condemnation.

Question 7

Is the owner compensated for their land if it’s been condemned by the government? Can they challenge the compensation? How?

Answer 7

Yes & yes by going to court.

Question 8

What is taxation?

Answer 8

The government’s right to tax real property.

Question 9

The greater the value of land, the higher the _____.

Answer 9

Taxes. (ad valorem = according to value)

Question 10

What is escheat?

Answer 10

The government will take the title if a person dies without a will (and without heirs) or if a property is abandoned.