Note
This material is presented as general background information. Laws, both statutory and common, vary across jurisdictions so what may be a correct interpretation in one could be wrong in another. Always familiarize yourself with the legal environment where you practice.
When I present a legal topic in Wisconsin, I include statutory and case law citations that show how common law principles are interpreted here. Those same principles may be interpreted differently in other jurisdictions. For example, in some states riparian ownership extends to the stream thread, in others, the thalweg.
Researching case law for a state required going through an attorney's office (money spent) or tackling it on your own at a law library (money lost). A few years ago, Google created Google Scholar which allows some degree of case law research online. While not as fully extensive as a law library or LexisNexis, it's still a useful tool to investigate case law and, best of all, it's FREE.
It's pretty straightforward and easy to use, but in case you need some help, I created a short video showing how to select a court system, perform a search, and access a case: Google Scholar Video.
Presentation: Rules of Construction
Monday 13 Sep 2021
Assignment: This is to get you thinking about the topic. Please complete before the presentation. It's not graded, so don't worry...
The final corrected versions of the Powerpoint slides were posted right after the presentation. I think I found all the typos in this version. Let me know if I missed any
Corrected Powerpoint - Slides; pdf
If you have any follow up questions about my presentation, feel free to email me at