<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I run into this issue every once in a great while (thrice, I believe.) Each time the issue was resolved, although the last time a neighbor’s contractor was balky. I relied on Davis v. Baugh, 159 Wn.2d 413 and argued that there was no shield for a contractors negligent work. That worked in that instance.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Craig Blackmon<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 21, 2018 1:53 PM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property List Serve <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Duty to restore easement area - 2nd Call<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Yes, I agree, the servient owner has no duty to maintain or restore the easement area (I found this case too - so thanks for the affirmation!).<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>What about the <i>dominant</i> owner? Does he or she have a duty restore the easement area once he or she disturbs it pursuant to its use (e.g. repair of a line)? That is my question.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Amazingly enough, its starting to look like there is very little legal authority on the subject. Probably because neighbors end up doing the neighborly thing and restoring the easement area once disturbed. If only attorneys saw the world in the same light....<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Craig<br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Craig Blackmon, Attorney at Law<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/" target="_blank">Seattle Real Estate Lawyer</a></span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>92 Lenora St. (The Makers Space, a shared work environment) </span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>Seattle WA 98121</span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>Office/Cell: </span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>(206) 369-5949 Fax: (206) 770-7328 <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><a href="https://twitter.com/LawyerBroker" target="_blank">@LawyerBroker</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Buy+without+an+Agent" target="_blank">How to Buy Without an Agent</a> | <a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Sell+FSBO" target="_blank">How to Sell FSBO</a> | <a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Real+Estate+Glossary" target="_blank">RE Glossary</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication is a private, confidential electronic communication encompassed by 18 USC 2510. It is for the sole use of the intended recipient and receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient does not constitute a loss of its confidential or privileged nature. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender and destroy all copies.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 1:18 PM NC <<a href="mailto:seaseanc@gmail.com">seaseanc@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>You may consider Donner v. Blue, 347 P. 3d 881 - 2015 <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>¶ 12 And according to a leading treatise on real property easements, servient owners ordinarily owe no duty to the dominant owner to repair or maintain the easement unless an agreement varies these duties:4<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Servient owners, according to the New Restatement, have no duty to the dominant owner to “repair or maintain the servient estate or the facilities used in the enjoyment of the easement or profit.” Because the duty to maintain an easement ordinarily rests on the easement owner, servient owners had no duty to construct stairs to the beach for the benefit of a dominant estate owner. 7 Thompson on Real Property: The Law of Easements § 60.05(a) (David A. Thomas ed., 2d ed.2006) (footnote omitted) (quoting Restatement (Third) of Prop.: Servitudes § 4.13(3) (2000)). There is scant Washington case law on point. Blue cites several cases from other states discussing in general the lack of any duty on the servient estate owner to remove or cut back vegetation that encroached onto an easement. Smith v. Muellner, 283 Conn. 510, 932 A.2d 382 (2007); Schwartz v. Murphy, 74 Conn.App. 286, 812 A.2d 87 (2002); Suitts v. McMurtrey, 97 Idaho 416, 546 P.2d 62 (1976). The Donners properly concede that easement owners owe a duty to maintain the easement benefitting their dominant estates. Appellants' Reply Br. at 1. Nevertheless, the Donners argue with no citation to authority that Forbus controls over easement law. We are unaware of any case that extends the rule in Forbus to the easement interest context. We decline to do so here.<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 1:16 PM Craig Blackmon <<a href="mailto:craig@lawofficeofcraigblackmon.com" target="_blank">craig@lawofficeofcraigblackmon.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal>Ah, I'll give it one more shot. I'd rather be lucky than good (at legal research). But if not, Monday I will be off to the law library.<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>To recap: Does an easement impose a duty to restore the area if disturbance is required or its use, where it does not say so expressly? <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>For example, a simple side sewer easement makes no mention of a duty to restore. The benefited estate disturbs the area in making a necessary repair, and refuses to restore the area to its prior condition. Does the burdened estate have a remedy?<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I just can't believe this has never come up. Thanks, and enjoy the weekend, all!!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Craig<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Craig Blackmon, Attorney at Law<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/" target="_blank">Seattle Real Estate Lawyer</a></span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>92 Lenora St. (The Makers Space, a shared work environment) </span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>Seattle WA 98121</span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>Office/Cell: </span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>(206) 369-5949 Fax: (206) 770-7328 <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><a href="https://twitter.com/LawyerBroker" target="_blank">@LawyerBroker</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Buy+without+an+Agent" target="_blank">How to Buy Without an Agent</a> | <a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Sell+FSBO" target="_blank">How to Sell FSBO</a> | <a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Real+Estate+Glossary" target="_blank">RE Glossary</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication is a private, confidential electronic communication encompassed by 18 USC 2510. It is for the sole use of the intended recipient and receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient does not constitute a loss of its confidential or privileged nature. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender and destroy all copies.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 3:26 PM Craig Blackmon <<a href="mailto:craig@lawofficeofcraigblackmon.com" target="_blank">craig@lawofficeofcraigblackmon.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal>'Mates, opposing counsel and I are having a friendly dispute about the existence of a duty, if any, to restore an easement area, where disturbance is required for its use. Assume the easement itself makes no mention of such a duty. Does it exist?<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>For example, a simple side sewer easement makes no mention of a duty to restore. The benefitted estate disturbs the area in making a necessary repair, and refuses to restore. Does the burdened estate have a remedy?<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Thoughts? Cites? The group wisdom is as always humbly appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Craig<br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Craig Blackmon, Attorney at Law<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/" target="_blank">Seattle Real Estate Lawyer</a></span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>92 Lenora St. (The Makers Space, a shared work environment) </span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>Seattle WA 98121</span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121'>Office/Cell: </span><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>(206) 369-5949 Fax: (206) 770-7328 <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><a href="https://twitter.com/LawyerBroker" target="_blank">@LawyerBroker</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Buy+without+an+Agent" target="_blank">How to Buy Without an Agent</a> | <a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Sell+FSBO" target="_blank">How to Sell FSBO</a> | <a href="http://www.seattlepropertylawyer.com/blog?category=Real+Estate+Glossary" target="_blank">RE Glossary</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication is a private, confidential electronic communication encompassed by 18 USC 2510. It is for the sole use of the intended recipient and receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient does not constitute a loss of its confidential or privileged nature. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender and destroy all copies.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal>_______________________________________________<br>WSBARP mailing list<br><a href="mailto:WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp" target="_blank">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp</a><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Nicholas L. Clapham<br>(407)484-9625<br><br>NOTICE- This email message may contain confidential and privileged <br>information. 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