Real Estate Law

Property Rights & Boundary Line Litigation

The physical extent of ownership of real property is defined by boundary lines and, despite the best efforts of realtors, lawyers and surveyors, it is not always easy to tell where one person’s property ends and another’s begins, which can lead to a boundary dispute. This is particularly true where owners have constructed improvements such as fences or even structures on the wrong side of the legal boundaries, or have used someone else’s property as their own for an extended period of time. Boundary litigation is usually complex, requiring reconstruction of historical events and review of old surveys, often going back decades. Other forms of boundary disputes involve incorrect property descriptions and errors in surveying. Typical claims in a boundary dispute include trespass, adverse possession and acquiescence. HBC attorneys have significant, landmark experience successfully litigating these matters for clients.