[WSBARP] Adverse Possesion - When title owner becomes adverse/hostile

[Kate Love]

Thank you all for the comic relief, we are having a good laugh over here.. 😂


From: wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Stephen Brandli
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2021 11:00 AM
To: WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp at lists.wsbarppt.com>; cole-gilday at stanwoodlaw.net
Subject: Re: [WSBARP] Adverse Possesion - When title owner becomes adverse/hostile

Adverse possession is really a claim regarding the statute of limitations.  The defendant, and his predecessors in interest (tacking), which in this case includes the plaintiff, has to have had a cause of action for the last 10 years.  Obviously, a person does not have a cause of action to eject himself.

                Steve

From: wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbarp-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Teague Pasco
Sent: Monday, August 9, 2021 9:47 PM
To: cole-gilday at stanwoodlaw.net<mailto:cole-gilday at stanwoodlaw.net>; WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbarp at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: Re: [WSBARP] Adverse Possesion - When title owner becomes adverse/hostile

My first inclination would be Black's dictionary - you can't adversely possess against yourself, ownership negates any argument that possession is hostile.
Teague Pasco
1214 S. 68th St.
Tacoma WA  98408
pasco at pasco-law.com<mailto:pasco at pasco-law.com>
Land:  360-975-3387<tel:360-975-3387>
Mobile:  360-643-3990<tel:360-643-3990>



On Mon, Aug 9, 2021 at 4:09 PM Ryan P. Coon <cole-gilday at stanwoodlaw.net<mailto:cole-gilday at stanwoodlaw.net>> wrote:

Listmates,

I currently have a case where I represent the Defendant (D) against an adverse possession claim brought by the Plaintiff (P) who is pro se but is somewhat sophisticated based on his long history with the property at issue. To summarize the somewhat long and complicated history, the P here purchased the property back in 2003, took out a number of loans secured by DOT's on the property, one of which was recorded in 2007. The property was eventually foreclosed due to nonpayment of the 2007 DOT and a Trustees deed recorded in 2017. P here fought the foreclosure in numerous actions both before and after the trustees deed but eventually lost all cases and appeals. D, my client, purchased the property in 2020 knowing P was still on the property, and subsequently initiated eviction proceedings.

P's response to D's eviction proceedings was a separate action for adverse possession, which we're now in the process of defending. The absurdity is that P is trying to claim years prior to 2017 as part of the 10-year statutory period required for adverse possession. As he was the title owner up until the 2017 trustees deed, he has no legitimate claim that his possession prior to that was in any way "hostile." I assume any judge will take one look at this and recognize the absurdity of P's claims.

However, for whatever reason I have been unable to find any good case-law that is explicit on this point, perhaps because no one has dared to make the argument on appeal. Does anyone know of any good case-law, statutory provision(s), or other commentary that directly addresses the title owners inability to claim adverse possession during periods of the claimants clear title ownership of the property at issue? While I'm confident that most judges will see right through P's claims, I would like to provide clear legal precedent if possible. Thank you for any help that you can provide.


--

Very Truly Yours,
Ryan P. Coon
Law Office of Cole & Gilday, P.C.

10101 - 270th St. NW
Stanwood, WA 98292
(360) 629-2900 (Telephone)
(360) 629-0220 (Fax)

This message contains confidential and privileged information that is intended only for the named recipient(s).  Unless you are the named recipient or authorized agent thereof, you are prohibited from reading, copying, distributing or otherwise disseminating such information.  If you receive this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately.

***Disclaimer: Please note that RPPT listserv participation is not restricted to practicing attorneys and may include non-practicing attorneys, law students, professionals working in related fields, and others.***

_______________________________________________
WSBARP mailing list
WSBARP at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:WSBARP at lists.wsbarppt.com>
http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/wsbarp/attachments/20210810/59afa9b7/attachment.html>