Adverse possession
A claim to ownership — not just use — earned by occupying land for the statutory period.
Adverse possession requires possession that is actual, open, notorious, exclusive, continuous, and hostile for the state's statutory term. Some states also require paying the taxes or holding color of title.
It transfers title itself, which makes it far more serious than a prescriptive easement.
Why it matters when you buy
A long-standing fence in the wrong place can eventually move the legal boundary.
Related terms
General educational reference only. Prescription periods and their exceptions change, and several states set the period by case law rather than by statute. Read the linked official code and consult a licensed attorney in that state before relying on any of it.
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