You Don't Actually Own Your Land

About this episode

This episode explores the complexities of land ownership and property law in the United States.

Today I break down one of the most counterintuitive ideas in property law : when you “own” land… how much of it do you actually own? We naturally think of land ownership as a vertical column—everything beneath your feet and everything above your head. But modern real estate law , mineral rights , and airspace regulations don’t work that way. In this episode, I explore how concepts like subsurface rights , directional drilling , and airspace ownership changed the way property works in the United States. From oil companies extracting resources beneath private land, to landmark legal cases like Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon and United States v. Causby , this episode breaks down how ownership, regulation, and government authority actually interact. Follow along as we uncover how property rights , police power , and modern infrastructure quietly limit what you thought you owned. Merrill, T. W., & Smith, H. E. (2017). Property: Principles and Policies . Foundation Press. United States v. Causby, 328 U.S. 256 (1946). Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon, 260 U.S. 393 (1922). Brown v. Lundell, 344 S.W.2d 863 (Tex. 1961). Pierce, D. E. (2018). Oil and Gas Law . West Academic Publishing…

People in this episode

Host: Gordy

Topics covered

• property law
• land ownership
• mineral rights
• airspace regulations
• legal cases
• real estate law

Keywords

• property rights
• subsurface rights
• directional drilling
• airspace ownership
• legal cases
• real estate
• ownership
• regulation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Texas General Land Office, NYC Department of City Planning

Books & works: Property: Principles and Policies, Oil and Gas Law

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