Property Title Transfers by Adverse Possession

1
Property - Title Transfers by Adverse Possession

• 2009 edition

2
Adverse Possession - Overview

• Basic concept
• Policy justifications
• Elements
• 1. Actual and exclusive (or constructive
  possession if under color of title)
• 2. Open and notorious
• 3. Adverse under a claim of right - per
• the objective test (majority) or
• the subjective test (minority)

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Adverse Possession - Overview

• Elements (continued)
• 4. Continuous and uninterrupted
• effect of ouster or abandonment of claim
• 5. for the full statutory time period
• tacking re Claimant
• tolling re TO
• 6. Operation of Adverse Possession
• 7. A Special problem - personalty
• Common law - Redmond v NJ Hist. Soc.
• Discovery rule O Keeffe v Snyder

4
Adverse Possession Basic Concept Marlenas
Earring

• 
  Marlena
• 
  Dietrich

5
Adverse Possession Basic Concept Marlenas
Earring

6
Adverse Possession - Requirements

• Possession by the adverse claimant - must be
• 1. Actual and exclusive (or constructive
  possession
• if under color of title)
• 2. Open and notorious
• 3. Adverse under a claim of right - per
• the objective test (majority) or
• the subjective test (minority)
• 4. Continuous and uninterrupted
• 5. for the full statutory time period

7
Adverse Possession - Requirements

• Possession by the adverse claimant - must be
• 1. Actual and exclusive (or constructive
  possession
• if under color of title)
• 2. Open and notorious
• 3. Adverse under a claim of right - per
• the objective test (majority) or
• the subjective test (minority)
• 4. Continuous and uninterrupted
• 5. for the full statutory time period

8
Adverse Possession Time Rules

• 1. Tacking allowed - Adverse claimants may tack
  periods of adverse use together if privity of
  estate exists between claimants
• 2. Consecutive true owners all share ONE
  limitation period to bring a claim
• 3. A true owner suffering under a legal
  disability when the adverse use begins may have
  the SOL tolled during the disability.

9
Adverse Possession Tolling the Ohio Statute

• ORC Section 2305.04 Recovery of Real Estate
• An action to recover the title to or possession
  of
• real estate shall be brought within twenty-one
  years
• after the cause of action accrues, but if a
  person
• entitled to bring the action is, at the time the
  cause
• of action accrues, within the age of minority or
  of
• unsound mind, the person, after the expiration of
  
• twenty one years from the time of the cause of
• action accrues, may bring the action within ten
• years after the disability is removed.

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 1
Extended Disability

• Operation of the Ohio AP statute - Hypo 1
• 21 years to gain title by AP.
• AP begins in 1980
• In 1980 O 2 years old
• Age of Majority 18

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 1 Extended
Disability

• Alt 1
• 1980
• 21 years
• 2001

• Alt 2
• 1980 (O 2)
• 1996 (O 18 disability
• removed
• 10 years
• 2006 (tolled SOL expires)

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 2 Shorter
Disability

• Operation of the Ohio AP statute - Hypo 2
• 21 years to gain title by AP.
• AP begins in 1980
• In 1980 O 2 years old
• Age of Majority 18
• New fact O dies at age 12.

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 2 Shorter
Disability

• Alt 1
• 1980
• 21 years
• 2001

• Alt 2
• 1980 (O 2)
• 1990 (O dies 12 disability
• removed
• 10 years
• 2000 (tolled SOL expires)

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 3
Consecutive Disabilities

• Operation of the Ohio AP statute - Hypo 3
• 21 years to gain title by AP.
• AP begins in 1980
• In 1980 O 2 years old
• Age of Majority 18
• New fact O is diagnosed as insane at age 12.

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 3
Consecutive Disabilities

• Alt 1
• 1980
• 21 years
• 2001

• Alt 2
• 1980 (O 2)
• 1996 (16 yrs for infancy)
• (0 yrs for insanity)
• 10 years
• 2006 (tolled SOL expires)

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 4
Concurrent Disabilities

• Operation of the Ohio AP statute - Hypo 4
• 21 years to gain title by AP.
• AP begins in 1980
• In 1980 O 2 years old insane and lives 35
  more years
• Age of Majority 18

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Adverse Possession Tolling Hypo 3
Consecutive Disabilities

• Alt 1
• 1980
• 21 years
• 2001

• Alt 2
• 1980 (O 2)
• 1996 (16 yrs for infancy)
• 2015 (35 years for insanity)
• 10 years
• 2025 (tolled SOL expires)

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Adverse Possession - Requirements

• About that full statutory time period
• Four questions
• Q1 When did CofA first accrue?
• Q2 Does tacking applying to extend adverse
  use?
• Q3 Does tolling apply to suspend SOL?
• Q4 When did CofA expire?

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Adverse Possession and PersonaltyRedmond v NJ
Historical Society

• Master Commandant
• James Lawrence, USN
• (1781-1813)
• Oil on wood, 28.5" x 23.5",
• by Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828),
• Boston, circa 1812.
• Painting in the U.S. Naval
• Academy Museum Collection.
• Bequest of George M.
• Moffett, 1952

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Adverse Possession and PersonaltyOKeeffe v
Snyder
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End