If someone owns a piece of land, do they own it all the way to the center of the earth?

Answer 1

yes depends whether the title dees include the mineral rights.

No one- actually OWNS land. These are just pieces of paper written by capitalists.

NO- ONE in this whole world, actually owns so much as a handful of earth. It's all nonsense.

Answer 2

This is just such a typical land law exam question!

From an English/Welsh point of view (because that's all I know), then yes, up to a point.

There's even a Latin maxim: "Cuius est solum, eius est usque ad caelum et ad inferos" which means "Who owns the land, owns down to the centre of the earth and up to the heavens"

However, the Queen owns all the gold and silver, the Coal Board owns the coal etc etc.

As regards the heavens bit, planes are allowed to fly over without trespass.

So theoretically yes, but with reservations.

Answer 3

I've always liked this question.
The theory of ownership is: You own from the surface of the earth along with permanent improvements down to the center of the earth and from the surface of the earth along with permanent improvements up to infinity. It also contains what is called a bundle of rights that although such rights are part of the real estate owned, would become personal property once severed and or used. Along with that ownership theory there are ownership restrictions or no ownership at all, as to previously severed rights by the government and previous title holders such as minerals, and by case law relating to the use of the space above the property and state law relating to adverse posssession which is escheat as it relates to taxation, and the right of the government to tax and escheat. But if you really think about it, once you pass the mantle of the earth and before you get to the nuclear center, there is constantly moving lava and since it is constantly moving and not permanent underneath the realty you are supposed to own, in theory it can be said that the lava is personal property not owned by anybody and blocking your access to the nuclear center of the earth. What a trip ha; I wonder who you would get an easement from to get to the center of the earth?
Here is an interesting link
Supreme Court case on Ownership of air space above a house: http://supreme.justia.com/us/328/256/case.html
Buena Suerte

Answer 4

Of course! And from the center of the Earth, the property belongs to the Chinese guy who lives directly under that person, though I'm not sure about the fence between the two properties.
I'm unsertain about who is responsible for fixing that if it blows down. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

No.

In the US (and some other countries), you own only a particular depth. It's actually fairly shallow.

You do not own mineral rights, unless you deed specifically includes.

The actual depth is complicated. Typically, you're allowed to dig as deep as you want, as long as you don't interfere with anything that's already there. Power/gas/phone companies, for example, have an easement that allows them to bury lines on your property.

Can you build a tunnel under someone else's house?

Well, usually not. In part because you'd need to demonstrate that your construction does not impair the neighbor's property. If your tunnel causes his house to sink, for example, you're responsible. When companies and governments make easements, they're based on them taking reasonable care to prevent adverse use of your property.

Answer 6

According to Kevin Cahill, who researched it for his book "Who Owns the World?", you don't even own the surface of it if you're in the UK, or most other Commonwealth countries (including, for instance, Canada and Australia).

Freehold isn't the same as ownership: the Queen owns every scrap of land in the UK and most of the Commonwealth. You just have a limited right to use it.

Answer 7

Yes, you own to the center of the earth and out to infinity. This question keeps coming up over and over again.

Answer 8

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if this very good question was ever ruled upon by legislature, the answer would be no.

In fact, an international limit would probably be created, just like open ocean waters, the moon, and the other planets in the solar system.

Answer 9

Ownership is just a societal construct fashioned to keep the working class from overthrowing an out of touch, uncaring government. Just be happy you're not sleeping out in the cold.

Answer 10

If they also own the mineral and water rights I guess one could say YES they own it to the middle of the earth!..ss