在全球范围内，财产制度是人类生活的一部分。但是，财产规则随时间和地点而有所不同。美国的物权法主要源于英格兰的法律，其中包括可以追溯到近一千年的规则。物权法对物权进行了界定，主要是但不仅限于实物，尤其是土地。它包括关于这些权利的初始分配的规则，被承认的权利的种类，对这些权利的限制以及自愿和非自愿的转让方法。财产法的能力要求了解财产权的基本结构。涉及事物的大量详细规则，熟悉该领域的特殊语言以及对不熟练的律师构成陷阱的特定领域的知识，像律师一样思考的能力是必要的，但不足以胜任律师的能力预测政府何时何地将武力威胁
Around the globe, the institution of property is part of the human condition. Nevertheless, the rules of property vary somewhat with time and place. The American law of property derives primarily from laws of England, including rules that date back nearly a millennium. Property law delineates rights in things, primarily, but not exclusively, physical things and especially land. It includes the rules governing the initial allocation of those rights, the kinds of rights that are recognized, limitations on those rights, and the methods of transfer, both voluntary and involuntary. Competency in the law of property requires an understanding of the basic structure of the vast set of detailed rules relating to things, familiarity with the special language spoken in this area of practice, and knowledge of specific areas that pose traps for the unwary lawyer. The ability to think like a lawyer is necessary but not sufficient for competency in predicting when and where the government will put its threat of force behind the claims of individuals.