Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Choshen Mishpat/371

Paragraph 1- Real property can never be robbed. Rather, it remains in the owner’s domain. Even if it was sold to 1,000 people after him and the owner gave up hope, it would return to the owner at no cost. Whomever had the property taken from him would go to the party that sold it to him, and the second seller would go to the first seller until the original purchaser goes to the robber and collects from him. See earlier in Siman 336 for the law in a case where one purchased from a gentile robber.

Paragraph 2- Thus, if a damaging incident occurred on its own, such as where the river flooded the property, the robber would not be responsible for the loss because the owner’s domain remains and the robber can tell the owner, here it is in front of you. If the robber causes a loss with his hands, however, such as where he dug pits, ditches and caves, he cut down the trees, he destroyed the well or destroyed the building, the robber would be required to provide the owner with a house or field as it was as the time of the robbery or pay for the value of the loss he caused. Just as real property remains in the domain of the victim, and the robber can say here it is in front of you, it is also in his domain when it is to his benefit. Although by movable items a robber only pays the value at the time of the robbery, that is not the case by real property. Rather, if the robber used and consumed the fruits, he must pay the value of the benefit he received.

Paragraph 3- If one robs a field, and thugs took it with the authority of the king, and it is a local plague, such as where the king took the fields or homes of all the residents of his jurisdiction, the robber may tell the owner here it is in front of you. If the property was taken because of the robber, he would be required to provide another field for the owner.

Paragraph 4- If the kings forced the robber and told him to show him whatever he has, and the robber showed him this robbed field as part of his fields and the king took it, the robber would be required to provide a like field to the owner or pay for its value.