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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Scott -Few facts provided but some general ideas apply.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Neighbor has to prove possession like a true owner, in a manner that is open and notorious, hostile and exclusive, continuous, actual and uninterrupted for 10 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Each element is an opportunity for a defense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>The uninterrupted and continuous elements are different in the wilderness – see ITT Rayonier v. Bell, 112 Wash.2d 754 – possession must be of such a character as a true owner would make considering the nature and location of the land.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Also consider if your client’s seller gave a SWD that included the strip – there may be a tender of defense or claim for breach of the SWD to the seller.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Interrupting use is frequently used if possession is close to the 10 year period, but client runs the risk of a trespass and damage to land claim if a court determines the neighbor already has legal title to the land.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Putting a gate in the fence and regularly walking or using the land can defeat the exclusivity element – if less than 10 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Your client has assumptions about where his record boundaries are, but a surveyor may have a different idea.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>If the fence is on your client’s land, the proper action would be trespass and not quiet title – client already has record title – plus injunction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>You say all neighbor has done is clear up to a fence – that is often enough if possession was for 10 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>These are fact driven cases. The cost to pursue a claim given a vigorous defense can encourage settlement. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Scott Hildebrand<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 26, 2017 8:21 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv'<br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Question about Quiet Title action<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am hoping there is a boundary line guru out there who can provide some guidance on this one:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>PC has acreage that is abutted by a neighbor who has stated their right to a portion of his land via adverse possession. The claim stems from a fence that is on the interior of PC’s property. PC has asserted their rights in writing in response to the verbal claim.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Opposition has done nothing to assert their rights except to clear some brush. This is remote wilderness land and PC wants to assure that opposition can’t take via adverse possession.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Does PC need to file a quiet title action, perhaps an injunction? Or, since the AP claim has never been reduced to anything other than a verbal assertion, should PC just let it go until the opposition files a quiet title?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Scott Hildebrand<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Attorney at Law<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>