Matt BlazeSep 21, 2024

Crowdfunded effort (led by the awesome Cards Against Humanity folks) bought a tract of pristine land in Texas near the Mexican border a few years ago to prevent development (such as a border wall), and to leave it in a natural state.

This year, Space X unilaterally started building on the tract, without anyone's permission, causing irreparable harm to the natural state of the land. Not cool, says the owner.

Hilarity currently en-suing. https://www.cahsuesmusk.com/

Elon Musk Owes You $100 • Cards Against Humanity Saves America Day 7

Elon Musk stole your land, and now he owes you $100.

Show threadMatt Blaze
Texas is an interesting venue for this. While it's a mistake to paint with too broad a brush (it's a diverse place), I'd guess that Texas juries (assuming this is a jury case) are likely to set aside their dislike for lefty plaintiffs who try to block border walls in favor of their enthusiasm for enforcing property rights.
Sep 21, 2024 at 9:07pmWeb
Show threadMatt BlazeSep 21, 2024
It also looks like in Texas adverse possession can be triggered, under some circumstances, after as little as three years (though under most circumstances it requires five or ten years), so if SpaceX's strategy is "just develop vacant land and hope you get away with it", that might actually sometimes work.
Show threadAI6YR BenSep 21, 2024
@mattblaze So you're saying I could go put up a house somewhere and if no one figures it out in 3 years, I have my own ranch?! LOL
Show threadMatt BlazeSep 21, 2024
@ai6yr I believe or three years you need to have some proof (even if wrong) that you own the land. For five years, it may be sufficient to have just been paying property taxes and otherwise acting like you own it.
Show threadChuckSep 22, 2024
@ai6yr @mattblaze There was a guy in Nevada that tried that on what turned out to be BLM land. Apparently you cannot adversely possess federal land, (or native american lands for that matter).
Show threadAllan ChowSep 21, 2024
@mattblaze it's so dumb how many people depend on this. Not just corporations but just neighboring landowners in rural areas
Show threadparamnesiacSep 22, 2024
@mattblaze I did not realize Texas had squatter's rights, but I guess it makes some sense in a state where everyone's armed.
Show threadTom JacobSep 22, 2024
@mattblaze don’t you have to be paying taxes on that property for the smaller time limit to trigger? What are the chances of that?
Show threadNKTSep 22, 2024
@tomjacob @mattblaze Elon paying taxes? Slim to none. He paid less tax than an average earner, despite absolutely printing (government) money.
Show threadmike Sep 21, 2024
@mattblaze the complaint includes a jury trial demand, though obviously there are many steps between here and there
Show threadCoach Pāṇini ®Sep 21, 2024

@mattblaze
in the hierarchy:

1. Texas property protection
2. U.S. property protection

Show threadAI6YR BenSep 21, 2024
@paninid @mattblaze It's definitely interesting: Texas style "I can do anything I want, the gub'mint needs to stay out of my hair" and Texas style "property rights are the most important thing in the world". I mean, if they had someone on the property with a gun shooting people for crossing the property line, I am unsure what would happen in Texas, truly.
Show threadMatt BlazeSep 21, 2024
@ai6yr @paninid I don't know Texas law well enough to say with certainty that the judge won't order the parties to settle this with a duel.
Show threadCoach Pāṇini ®Sep 21, 2024
@mattblaze @ai6yr
Show threadAI6YR BenSep 21, 2024

@mattblaze @paninid

I'm not an attorney and have no background here, but I can look up this bit of the Texas Penal Code, LOL

Texas Penal Code - PENAL § 9.42. Deadly Force to Protect Property

A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:
...

(3) he reasonably believes that:

(A) the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means;  or
...

https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-9-42/

Show threadgzSep 21, 2024
@mattblaze @ai6yr @paninid
Lol
Show threadBrandonSep 23, 2024
@ai6yr @mattblaze @paninid every now and then, someone represents themselves in a Texas county court and requests a trial by combat…happens more often than you’d think. Unfortunately for the rest of us, that party’s effective motion for transfer of venue to The Coliseum is invariably denied.
Show threadOttoSep 21, 2024
@ai6yr @paninid @mattblaze What would happen in Texas is the person doing the shooting is able to sue the person being shot at for the cost of the bullets.
Show threadAI6YR BenSep 21, 2024
@otto42 @paninid @mattblaze 🤔 I don't doubt that, LOL
Show threadKarl AuerbachSep 21, 2024

@mattblaze My bet is that the complaint will be dismissed (with leave to amend or re-file) due to lack of specificity.

In a normal tresspass-like case there would have been precise lists of the plaintiff's properties and exactly what the defendant did on each one (and each one tied to a cause of action.). All we got here were photos that were not bound to any particular geography and photos of construction, again not tied to any particular properties.

The plaintiffs ought to realize that initiating a legal action requires a lot more detail than playing a card game.

Show threadMisuse CaseSep 21, 2024

@karlauerbach @mattblaze >> “All we got here were photos that were not bound to any particular geography and photos of construction, again not tied to any particular properties.”

In the media reports about it, sure. I am sure the plaintiffs have other evidence and documentation that you, not being the judge or jury, haven’t been privy to.

Show thread`Da ElfSep 22, 2024

@mattblaze * Makes Popcorn *

This shit is going to be Fun.