Texas State
Law Library

Abandoned Property

Have you ever wondered what happens to property that appears to have been abandoned? The State Law Library often receives questions related to this topic. To assist in answering those questions, our librarians have created an Abandoned Property research guide.

This research guide includes:

• State and federal laws regarding adverse possession, abandoned motor vehicles, unclaimed property, and antiques and antiquities
• "Plain English" summaries of those laws
• The Texas Comptroller's guide to searching the Texas Unclaimed Property database
• Links to the Texas A&M Real Estate Center's article, "Use It or Lose It", David J. Willis' article, "Adverse Possession in Texas", and an episode of the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension's podcast, Ag Law in the Field that discusses "squatter's rights"
• The University of Texas Law School's Problem Properties Toolkit
• Remote access to e-books such as Personal Property in a Nutshell and Buried Treasure: Finders, Keepers, and the Law

If you have any questions or would like more information about our other Legal Research Guides please don't hesitate to Ask a Librarian!

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