marvin brandt revocable trust et al argued january decided march congress passed general railroad act provide railroad companies right way public lands one right way obtained railroad crosses land conveyed brandt family land patent patent stated relevant land granted subject railroad rights act right way specify occur railroad later relinquished rights years later successor railroad abandoned right way federal approval government sought judicial declaration abandonment order quieting title abandoned right way including stretch crossed land conveyed brandt patent petitioners contested claim asserting right way mere easement extinguished railroad abandoned brandt enjoys full title land without burden easement government countered act granted railroad something mere easement retained reversionary interest land railroad abandoned district granted summary judgment government quieted title right way tenth circuit affirmed held right way easement terminated railroad abandonment leaving brandt land unburdened pp government loses case large part argued opposite great northern government contended act unlike statutes granting rights way granted nothing easement railroad case therefore interest resources beneath surface right way adopted government position full found act text wholly inconsistent grant fee interest agreed government cases describing nature rights way granted prior controlling major shift congressional policy concerning land grants railroads year held act clearly grants easement common law property principles easement disappears abandoned beneficiary leaving owner underlying land resume full unencumbered interest land see smith townsend pp government asks limit great northern characterization act rights way easements question owns oil minerals beneath right way nothing act text supports reading government reliance similarity language act statutes directly contravenes premise great northern act granted fundamentally different interest predecessor statutes decisions stalker oregon short line great northern steinke support government position dispute cases framed terms competing claims acquire develop particular tract land appear considered much less rejected argument railroad easement contested land extent cases read imply interest something implication survived unequivocal statement contrary great northern finally later enacted statutes see define shed light nature interest congress granted railroads rights way instead purport dispose interests already possesses pp fed appx reversed remanded roberts delivered opinion scalia kennedy thomas ginsburg breyer alito kagan joined sotomayor filed dissenting opinion opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press marvin brandt revocable trust et al petitioners writ certiorari appeals tenth circuit march chief justice roberts delivered opinion century congress began granting private railroad companies rights way public lands encourage settlement development west many public lands later conveyed government homesteaders settlers lands continuing subject railroads rights way settlers successors remained many railroads case presents question happens railroad right way granted particular statute general railroad act railroad abandons go government private party acquired land underlying right way early century america looked west period louisiana purchase gadsden purchase saw acquisition western lands filled contiguous young country numerous reasons encourage settlement development vast new expanse needed fast reliable way transport people property frontier lands new technology provided answer railroad civil war spurred effort develop transcontinental railroad federal government saw need protect citizens secure possessions west leo sheep construction railroad furnish cheap expeditious mode transportation troops supplies help develop agricultural mineral resources territory foster settlement union pacific substantial benefits transcontinental railroad bring clear building simple matter risks great costs staggering popular sentiment grew government play role supporting massive project indeed president lincoln winning platform proclaimed railroad pacific ocean imperatively demanded interests whole country federal government render immediate efficient aid construction ely railroads american law sufficient funds hand especially civil war fight serious reservations legal authority direct financing policy country say nothing supposed want constitutional power stood way taking work hands union pacific supra country however land lots give away vast swaths public land time possessed little value without reliable transportation hopes grants increase appeal transcontinental railroad private investors ely supra early congress began granting railroad companies rights way public domain accompanied outright grants land along rights way gates history public land law development land conveyed checkerboard blocks example union pacific act lots one square mile apiece granted railroad lots retained leo sheep supra railroads either develop lots sell finance construction rail lines encourage settlement future customers indeed railroads became largest secondary dispenser public lands gates supra public resentment generous land grants railroads began grow late western settlers initially staunchest supporters governmental railroad subsidization complained railroads moved slowly placing lands market hands farmers settlers citizens members congress argued grants conflicted goal homestead act encourage individual citizens settle develop frontier lands legislators across political spectrum embraced policy reserving public lands settlers rather granting railroads house resolution adopted summed change national policy stating judgment house policy granting subsidies public lands railroads corporations discontinued every consideration public policy equal justice whole people requires public lands held purpose securing homesteads actual settlers educational purposes may provided law cong globe congress enacted last checkerboard statute railroads gates supra still wishing encourage railroad construction however congress passed least special acts granting designated railroads right way public lands without accompanying land subsidy great northern rather continue enact special legislation right way congress passed general railroad act stat act provided right way public lands granted railroad company meeting certain requirements extent one hundred feet side central line said road railroad company obtain right way actual construction road advance construction filing map provided section four act jamestown northern jones section turn provided company secure right way filing proposed map rail corridor local department interior office within months survey location road upon approval interior department right way noted land plats held local office day forward lands right way shall pass shall disposed subject right way ibid act remained effect provisions governing issuance new rights way repealed federal land policy management act stat case requires us define nature interest granted act order determine happens railroad abandons right way melvin brandt began working sawmill fox park wyoming later purchased sawmill moved family fox park melvin son marvin started working sawmill came operate closed years later patented parcel land fox park surrounded medicine national forest melvin lulu brandt land patent official document reflecting grant sovereign made public patent patent conveyed brandts fee simple title land rights privileges immunities appurtenances whatsoever nature thereunto belonging unto said claimants successors assigns forever app pet cert patent include limited exceptions reservations example patent except reserv es land granted thereon ditches canals constructed authority reserv es existing platte access road reserv es existing dry park road capitalization omitted roads cease used assigns period five years patent provides easement traversed thereby shall terminate relevant case patent concludes stating land granted subject rights railroad purposes granted laramie hahn peak pacific railway company successors assigns ibid capitalization omitted patent specify occur railroad abandoned right way right way referred patent obtained laramie hahn peak pacific railroad lhp pursuant right way miles long feet wide meanders south laramie wyoming medicine national forest border nearly stretch right way crosses brandt land fox park covering ten acres parcel lhp completed construction railway right way laramie coalmont colorado proprietors rosy expectations proclaiming become one important railroad systems country laramie hahns peak pacific railway system direct gateway southern wyoming northern colorado eastern utah railroad ultimately fell short goal rather shipping coal valuable ores originally hoped lhp used primarily transport timber cattle king trails rails history wyoming railroads largely high operating costs wyoming winters lhp never quite achieved financial stability changed hands numerous times acquired union pacific railroad urging interstate commerce commission ibid thybony rosenberg rosenberg medicine bows wyoming mountain country hollenback laramie plains line union pacific sold rail line including right way wyoming colorado railroad planned use tourist attraction king supra prove profitable either wyoming colorado notified surface transportation board intent abandon right way railroad tore tracks ties receiving board approval completed abandonment initiated action seeking judicial declaration abandonment order quieting title abandoned right way addition railroad government named defendants owners parcels land crossed abandoned right way government settled obtained default judgment one landowners marvin brandt contested government claim filed counterclaim behalf family trust owns fox park parcel brandt asserted stretch right way crossing family land mere easement extinguished upon abandonment railroad common law property rules enjoyed full title land without burden easement government countered along retained reversionary interest railroad right way future estate restored railroad abandoned forfeited interest district granted summary judgment government quieted title right way brandt land wl apr appeals affirmed brandt fed appx per curiam acknowledged division among lower courts regarding nature government interest abandoned act rights way concluded based circuit precedent retained implied reversionary interest right way vested right way relinquished granted certiorari ii dispute turns nature interest conveyed lhp pursuant act brandt contends right way granted act easement railroad abandoned underlying land brandt fox park parcel simply became unburdened easement government dispute easements normally work way maintains act granted railroads something easement reserving implied reversionary interest something government loses argument today large part argued opposite years ago case great northern railway great northern succeeded act right way ran public lands glacier county montana oil later discovered area great northern wanted drill beneath right way government sued enjoin railroad claiming railroad easement retained interests beneath surface indeed previously held statutes granting rights way accompanied checkerboard land subsidies conveyed railroads limited fee made implied condition reverter see northern pacific townsend great northern relied cases contend owned fee interest right way included right drill minerals beneath surface government disagreed argued act granted easement nothing railroad accordingly claim interest resources beneath surface brief great northern year marks end one era beginning new american history government contended thus cases construing statutes inapplicable construing act instead government argued text background subsequent administrative congressional construction act made clear unlike rights way granted statutes granted act mere easements adopted position full holding act clearly grants easement fee great northern found section act especially persuasive provided lands right way shall pass shall disposed subject right way ibid calling language wholly inconsistent grant fee interest endorsed lower statement pter words indicate intent convey easement difficult find ibid interpretation confirmed explained historical background act passed subsequent administrative congressional interpretation accepted government position prior cases describing nature rights way including townsend supra controlling shift congressional policy year great northern supra also specifically disavowed characterization act right way rio grande western stringham limited fee made implied condition reverter great northern supra quoting stringham supra noted stringham appear congress change policy brought attention given brief filed defendant case great northern supra dissent wrong conclude great northern merely held right way confer one particular attribute fee title post opinion sotomayor contrary specifically rejected notion right way conferred even limited fee see also declining follow cases describing right way limited base qualified fee instead concluded clear language act legislative history early administrative interpretation construction placed upon congress enactments railroad obtained easement rights way acquired act see union pacific noting conclusion great northern period easement railroad purposes granted frankfurter dissenting observing conclude great northern case right way granted act easement limited fee patented fox park parcel brandt parents conveyed fee simple title land subject rights railroad purposes granted lhp reserve interest right way patent great northern railroad thus easement right way land owned brandts essential features easements including important happens cease used well settled matter property law easement nonpossessory right enter use land possession another obligates possessor interfere uses authorized easement restatement third property servitudes unlike possessory estates easements may unilaterally terminated abandonment leaving servient owner possessory estate unencumbered servitude comment comments words beneficiary easement abandons easement disappears landowner resumes full unencumbered interest land see smith townsend hoever obtained title government land ran right way acquire fee whole tract subject easement company ever use right way abandoned railroad company easement cease full title right way vest patentee land op atty purchasers grantees took fee lands patented subject easement created act discontinuance abandonment right way entire exclusive property right enjoyment thereto vested proprietors soil basic common law principles resolve case wyoming colorado railroad abandoned right way easement referred brandt patent terminated brandt land became unburdened easement conferring full rights right way enjoyed rest fox park parcel iii contrary straightforward conclusion government tells us great northern really mean said emphasizing great northern involved question owned oil min erals beneath right way government asks limit characterization act rights way easements context even right way features easement granting surface interest railroad government wants subsurface oil minerals government asks us hold right way easement purposes happens railroad stops using nothing text act supports improbable reading government argues similarity language act statutes shows congress intended reserve reversionary interest lands granted act statutes see brief directly contrary premise decision government argument great northern act granted fundamentally different interest rights way predecessor statutes see great northern brief great northern argument fails disregards essential differences act contrary government position consistent government position great northern stands proposition statutes decisions construing little relevance question interest act conveyed railroads government next contends decisions stalker oregon short line great northern steinke support position retains implied reversionary interest act rights way brief according government stalker steinke demonstrate rights way bare common law easements cases concluded patents purporting convey land underlying right way inoperative pass title brief quoting steinke supra see also tr oral arg right way mere easement argument goes patent passed title underlying land subject railroad right way rather failing pass title altogether substantial overreading cases stalker steinke railroad already obtained act right way thereafter claimed adjacent land station grounds act permitted right way homesteader subsequently filed claim land unaware station grounds question case whether railroad build station grounds notwithstanding subsequent patent homesteader homesteader claimed priority railroad station grounds map recorded local land office time homesteader filed claim construed act give railroad priority submitted proposed map department interior homesteader filed claim see stalker supra steinke supra dispute case framed terms competing claims right acquire develop tract land ruled railroad purport define precise nature interest granted act indeed appear either case considered much less rejected argument railroad obtained easement contested land patent still convey title homesteader event extent stalker steinke read imply granted something easement implication survived unequivocal statement great northern act clearly grants easement fee finally government relies number later enacted statutes says demonstrate congress believed retained reversionary interest act rights way brief statutes purported dispose interests already possessed create modify interests first place first congress declared forfeited right way railroad constructed five years location road resume full title lands covered thereby free discharged easement forfeited right way immediately inure benefit owner owners land conveyed prior date ibid congress provided whenever railroad forfeited officially abandoned right way right title interest estate said lands land converted public highway immediately transferred either municipality located else person owned underlying land finally part national trails system improvements act congress changed course sought retain title abandoned forfeited railroad rights way specifying right title interest estate rights way shall remain upon abandonment forfeiture government argues statutes prove congress intended retain least believed retained reversionary interest act rights way otherwise argument goes later statutes providing disposition abandoned forfeited strips land meaningless wrong case turns kind interest congress granted railroads rights way cf leo sheep pertinent inquiry case intent congress granted land union pacific great northern answered question easement statutes government cites purport define redefine nature interest conveyed act shed light kind property interest congress intended convey railroads see price views subsequent congress form hazardous basis inferring intent earlier one words statutes tell us whether interest particular right way simply tell us interest might disposed rights way retained implied reversionary interest rights way crossing public lands statutes might make difference happens forfeited abandoned right way right title interest estate right way statutes simply apply overlook irony government argument based sections provisions plainly evince congress intent divest title interest retained railroad rights way vest interest individuals underlying land patented words people like brandts years patented fox park parcel brandts congress attempted reserve rights way policy shift operate create interest land government already given years ago government argued right way granted act simple easement persuaded ruled government argues right way tantamount limited fee implied reversionary interest decline endorse stark change position especially given special need certainty predictability land titles concerned leo sheep supra judgment appeals tenth circuit reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered sotomayor dissenting marvin brandt revocable trust et al petitioners writ certiorari appeals tenth circuit march justice sotomayor dissenting bases today holding almost entirely great northern conclusion general railroad act granted easement fee railroad possessing right way errs however two ways first meaningfully grapple prior cases northern pacific townsend rio grande western stringham expressly concluded retained reversionary interest railroad rights way extent regards great northern abrogated precedents places great northern weight case bear second relies basic common law principles ante without recognizing courts long treated railroad rights way sui generis property rights governed ordinary regime townsend stringham largely dictate conclusion government retained reversionary interest granted right way issue ambiguity land grants resolved favorably sovereign grantor great northern respectfully dissent century ago held right way granted railroad act congress included implied condition reverter government right way ceased used purpose granted northern pacific townsend question townsend whether individual homesteaders acquire title adverse possession land granted railroad right way held land forming right way granted intent might absolutely disposed volition company ibid contrary held grant explicitly stated designated purpose one negated existence power voluntarily alienate right way portion thereof ibid hence implied condition reverter event ceased use retain land purpose granted ibid essence held grant limited fee commonly known defeasible fee see restatement first property rather fee simple thus railroad abandon use right way property revert later confirmed rio grande western stringham rule applies land grants railroads also rights way granted general railroad act act granted right way issue case case stated rights way granted act made implied condition reverter event company ceases use retain land purposes granted ibid indeed stringham sustained validity reverter patented adjacent land subject right way townsend stringham remain good law point case resolved government favor ii case therefore turns whether majority asserts great northern disavowed townsend stringham question whether retained reversionary interest right way ante great northern thing occasion consider question great northern railroad sought drill oil beneath surface right way granted act held railroad right drill convey underlying oil minerals granted railroad right way language relies heavily great northern opined act granted railroad easement fee language logically lead place majority ultimately arrives great northern held least necessary ruling right way confer one particular attribute fee title specifically held right way confer right exploit subterranean resources act made clearer right way extended surface lands provided recordation right way lands right way shall pass shall disposed subject right way ibid second emphasis internal quotation marks omitted hold right way failed confer sticks proverbial bundle rights generally associated fee title cf cardozo paradoxes legal science reprint craft case concerns attribute fee title defeasibility party contends issue great northern majority places heavy emphasis great northern characterization rights way act easements rather limited fees easement abandoned majority reasons extinguished effect reverts owner underlying estate rather original grantor ante reason majority concludes basic common law principles require us retreat prior holdings railroad rights way entail implied possibility reverter original grantor right way cease used railroad intended purpose ante federal state decisions area historically depended basic common law principles contrary others long recognized context railroad rights way traditional property terms like fee easement neatly track definitions stringham articulated ways rights ways bear attributes easements fees explaining right way granted act similar acts neither mere easement fee simple absolute new mexico trust observed even particular right way granted easement surely ordinary easement attributes fee like exclusive use possession see also western union telegraph pennsylvania reaffirming view earlier massachusetts judicial explained although right acquired railroad technically easement require enjoyment use land permanent nature practically exclusive hazen boston mass iowa late opinion observed easement question spoken old law books peculiar use railroad smith hall iowa today opinion dispenses teachings majority canvasses special role railroads played development nation concludes bound definitions apply typical property ignores sui generis nature railroad rights way great northern referred right way granted act easement derail previous unequivocal pronouncements rights way act made implied condition stringham great northern fail support conclusion significant aspects great northern reasoning actually support contrary view case relied heavily congress policy shift early away bestowing extravagant public lands railroads corporations quoting cong globe history similarly weighs government favor congress likely mean confer subsurface mineral rights railroads held great northern likely mean grant railroads indefeasible property interest rights way kind interest generous gave cases concerning grants great northern moreover purpose act supports government congress passed act noted permit construction railroads public lands thus enhance value hasten settlement great northern held purpose require granting railroad right lay beneath surface true recognized townsend stringham granted rights way railroads subject implied condition reverter event railroads cease use retain land purposes granted stringham nothing purpose act suggests congress ever meant abandon sensible limitation great northern relied conventional rule grant resolved favorably sovereign grantor passes conveyed clear explicit language ibid quoting caldwell nothing act observed may characterized explicit conveyance oil minerals underlying right way nothing act clearly evinces congress intent make rights way conveyed act defeasible manner described townsend stringham fact presumption favor sovereign grantors applies doubly sovereign grantor right way ultimate patent iii majority notes great northern took position rights way granted railroads easements ante majority view great northern adopted position full unfair government backtrack position ante even assuming injustice government change positions issue period clear change position happened yes government argued great northern right way easement proposed however right way may well attributes fee brief great northern pp government contended important whether interest estate passed considered easement limited fee observing easement may held fee determinable quoting big horn land cattle indeed government expressly reserved possibility retained reversionary interest right way even surrounding land patented others brief great northern right criticize government takes contradictory positions ante critique misplaced since held rights way granted railroads implied possibility reverter regardless whether rights way labeled easements fees nothing great northern overruled conclusion changing course today undermines legality thousands miles former rights way public enjoys means transportation recreation lawsuits challenging conversion former rails recreational trails alone may well cost american taxpayers hundreds millions believe law requires result respectfully dissent footnotes locals time translated acronym lhp lord help push pull late hard pressed panicky thybony rosenberg rosenberg medicine bows wyoming mountain country landowners potential interest much smaller acreages party claim interest three acres right way six potential claims amounted one acre see amended complaint etc wyo district dismissed without prejudice brandt separate counterclaim compensation brandt filed takings claim federal claims case stayed pending disposition one granting easement merely gives grantee right enter use grantor land certain purpose give grantee possessory interest land make sense common law property principles speak grantor easement retained reversionary interest reversionary interest future interest left transferor successor interest restatement first property arises grantor transfers less entire interest piece land either certain possible retake transferred interest future date comment grantor easement transferred estate possessory interest retained reversionary interest retains ownership interest subject easement see preseault ca fed en banc dissent invokes principle ambiguity land grants resolved favorably sovereign grantor post quoting great northern solicitor general good reason government argument gave away land grant easement revert principle ambiguous grants construed favor sovereign hurts rather helps argument dissent quotation indeed great northern principle cited support government argument act grant conveyed easement fee footnotes dept justice environment natural resources fy performance budget congressional submission http visited mar available clerk case file