[meteorite-list] Fwd: Lorton meteorite should be 'the people's rock'

From: cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 10:42:05 -0500
Message-ID: <20100205104205.R02Z5.553445.imail_at_fed1rmwml35>

Shawn,
As silly as it sounds, there are people who believe there is a difference between a "fall" and a"find". And although these seven words (A "find" is owned by the landowner) might define ownership of a find. It does not address the ownership of a fall. I think the Hodges case did address this issue but often times the courts do reverse previous decisions.For an example of real property ownership;
In real estate, property is described based on ownership boundaries. For example;
 In ownership of a condominium you really only do own the air space ( sometimes they are high rise buildings). You own the paint on the wall but not the wall itself. You really don't own outright any real property (land) . The association which you are a part of owns the land but not a single individual.
In a town home you do own the inside half of the walls that separate the units but not the exterior of the building or the roof.
I guess we need to see the actual statute to see if it addresses falls or not to be sure and it might be more than seven words long.
But, lets say for argument sake that this meteorite never hits land. This is the case with Lorton but what if it hit a car parked on land and remained 100% within the car? What has the land owner to do with this? It never hit land. This is why air space comes into play.
In the Lorton case it never hit land either. This makes it complicated. The doctors actually did not find the meteorite. It found them.
Again, a find is clear but a fall is not. IMO At least not clear based on a weak seven words used above. Carl

--
Carl or Debbie Esparza
Meteoritemax
---- photophlow at yahoo.com wrote: 
> Carl and Listers,
> 
> The example I gave might be half weak in your eyes, but the fact of the matter is that it states that the landowner is entitled to the meteorite. 
> 
> Now the answer to your question about who is entitled to the fall in question and not the find is weak. What is in question is the ownership of the meteorite not the fall of the meteorite. Can you please give me an example of someone owning the fall of the meteorite? 
> 
> A meteorite comes into question of ownership once it has impacted the the surface or there of not while its in flight.
> 
> Shawn Alan

Received on Fri 05 Feb 2010 10:42:05 AM PST