Usi civici e proprietà collettive: da demanium a dominium

The essay starting from the analysis of an order of the Supreme Court referring to the United Sections of the same Court the question on the possibility of proceeding with the expropriation for public utility of lands subject to civic uses, in favor of some electricity production companies without preventive ‘de-statement’ of such lands. The author investigates the origin and the ambivalent character of these institutions and highlights the private nature of civic uses and collective property as well as their difference with state property