Andrew and Margaret Wilson erected a fence in what they thought was the yard of their Durham, North Carolina, home in 1957.In doing so, they inadvertently enclosed a small triangular piece, no bigger than 15 feet at its widest, of the adjoining landowner's property.In 1980, Carl Pearce and his wife Wanda bought the property adjacent to that of the Wilsons and claimed the triangular shaped property belonged to them.A dispute arose as to who owned the property and a lawsuit ensued.By what law may the Wilsons have established rights to the triangular-shaped piece assuming that they do not possess deeded rights?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The law that may have established rights for the Wilsons to the triangular-shaped piece of land is adverse possession. Adverse possession is a legal principle where someone can gain ownership of land by using it without the owner's permission for a certain period of time. In this case, the Wilsons may have gained ownership of the small parcel of land through adverse possession by using it and maintaining it as their own for over 20 years.

Andrew and Margaret Wilson Erected a Fence in What They