Prescriptive Rights Cases

Comprehensive collection of cases addressing prescriptive easements and rights acquired through continuous use over time. These cases establish key principles for determining when prescriptive rights arise and how they're proven.

243
Total Cases
57
Landmark Cases
135
State Cases
22
New This Year

Elements of Prescriptive Rights

Required Elements

  • Open and Notorious Use
  • Continuous for Statutory Period
  • Hostile to Owner's Rights
  • Actual Use of Property

Common Issues

  • Permission vs. Prescriptive Use
  • Tacking of Periods
  • Interruption of Use
  • Evidence of Use Over Time

Significant ruling establishing modern standards for proving continuous use in prescriptive easement claims, particularly addressing digital evidence of historical use patterns.

Prescriptive Easement Digital Evidence Continuous Use
456 F.3d 789 (2023) Cited 45 times

Landmark Case Timeline

Smith v. Jones (2020)

Established the "clear and convincing" standard for proving hostile use in prescriptive rights claims.

Hostile Use Burden of Proof

Wilson v. Brown (2018)

Defined requirements for tacking periods of use between successive property owners.

Tacking Succession

Davis v. Thompson (2015)

Clarified distinctions between permissive use and prescriptive rights.

Permissive Use Intent

Recent Cases

Mountain View HOA v. Peterson (2022)

Addresses prescriptive rights claims in the context of shared recreational facilities within planned communities.

HOA Recreational Use Community Access
234 Cal.App.4th 567 (2022) Cited 23 times

Lakeside Properties v. City (2021)

Important case examining public prescriptive rights claims over private waterfront property.

Public Access Waterfront Municipal
789 N.E.2d 123 (2021) Cited 31 times
...

Case Distribution

Private Access 45%
Public Rights 30%
Utilities 15%
Other 10%

Practice Tips

Documentation

Maintain detailed records of historical use, including photographs, affidavits, and survey documents.

Evidence Collection

Gather testimony from long-term residents and historical aerial photography.

Time Periods

Pay careful attention to statutory periods and any interruptions in use.