Author Archives: Byron L. Brown
Can a Registered Sex Offender Move in Next Door?
Individuals convicted or adjudicated of certain sexual offenses are required to register with a local law enforcement agency for a certain period of time, sometimes for life. The Texas Department of Public Safety compiles all of the local law enforcement registrations into a statewide sex offender registration database, known as the Texas Public Sex… Read More »
Anatomy of a Deed
In some cases, the ownership of real property—even property worth millions of dollars—is evidenced solely by what is printed on one side of a single sheet of paper. I am referring, of course, to a deed. While there is technically no minimum or maximum number of pages required for a deed, the law does… Read More »
How to Know Which House Fixtures Can Leave with the Seller
Let’s say you’re in the market for a new home. You go to an open house in your target area and find “the one.” Walking in, you’re wowed by the layout, the natural lighting, and the kitchen—oh, the kitchen! It has brand new, ultra-modern frosted glass cabinets, all new high-end stainless steel appliances, and… Read More »
Vetting Exceptions to the Texas Public Information Act is No Simple Task
The Texas Public Information Act, which governs public access to information held by governmental bodies in Texas, begins with the following policy statement: Under the fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government that adheres to the principle that government is the servant and not the master of the people, it is… Read More »
Real Property Descriptions Marking Location, Location, Location
The interests one may own in real property vary considerably—for example, one may own an undivided fractional interest, a leasehold, a life estate, or fee simple, just to name a few—but one constant is that the property so owned must be described such that it can be identified with reasonable certainty, separate and apart… Read More »
Do Christmas Doggies Violate Deed Restrictions?
Christmas is just around the corner, and many families will be opting for that classic and borderline clichéd gift-that-keeps-on-giving: a dog. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; even my first family dog was a Christmas gift. So if you’re anticipating getting or giving a dog this year—or even if you already have a… Read More »
In Texas, Your Next Vote Could Be in a May Election
You may have noticed that there was an election held recently, and hopefully you voted. I personally know a few people who only vote at “the big election,” meaning the presidential election that comes around every four years, but I know even more people who endeavor to vote at every election they can, even… Read More »
Haunted Houses, Imposter Trick-or-Treaters and a Lawyer in a Horned Halloween Costume
Halloween is right around the corner, which means that children are preoccupied with putting the finishing touches on their costumes and computing the fastest routes to the most generous houses, and plenty of adults are going to Halloween parties. If you find yourself at one such party and should happen to strike up a… Read More »
A Primer on How a City in Texas May Conduct a Real Property Sale
For what must be centuries now, law professors, practitioners, and courts have analogized property rights as a bundle of sticks, with each stick representing a specific right which may be separated from the others, sometimes willingly and sometimes not. One such stick in particular is the right to alienate the property—that is, the right… Read More »
Texas Municipalities Await a Hard and Fast Rule Against Releasing Dates of Birth under PIA
The very first section of the Texas Public Information Act (“PIA”) states that “each person is entitled, unless otherwise expressly provided by law, at all times to complete information about the affairs of government and the official acts of public officials and employees.” Our concern at the moment is with the part that says… Read More »