Just because an individual may own property, does not guarantee that the person may keep that property—that’s the warning stemming from this week’s podcast episode featuring an interview with Dr. Kara Woods, research analyst at Alcorn State University’s National Policy Research Center. Issues may arise from heirs’ property—co-owned land in which the name of the original, and now deceased, owner is still on the deed. Land loss due to heirs’ property issues affects groups disproportionately by race and class, and the policy protections against it are inconsistent across states. The ensuing legal hurdles mark a barrier that some families cannot overcome. One takeaway: Communicate with your family members!
Read the corresponding blog post.
Speakers:
- Mia Robertson, J.D. Candidate, Harvard Law School
- Kara Woods, Ph.D., Research Analyst, National Policy Research Center, Alcorn State University
Resources mentioned:
- Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (UPHPA)
- Heirs’ Property State Fact Sheets, Center for Agriculture & Food Systems, Vermont Law & Graduate School
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Proof Over Precedent cover art by Courtney Chrystal