Ekberg v. Bates
Ekberg v. Bates
Opinion of the Court
This case involves a boundary line dispute. Oscar F. Ekberg and his wife, who are the owners of some real property facing Harvard Avenue between 3rd and 4th East Streets in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Whose south line adjoins the north line of certain real property owned by Von D. Bates and his wife whose property faces Hampton Avenue, brought this suit to quiet title to about 41/2 feet of land embraced within a fence line on the Bates property. This 414 feet according to the record title apparently belongs to the Ekbergs. The Bates claim that a fence which runs in an easterly and westerly direction and located on the southern edge of the Ekberg property is the boundary line between the two properties which has been agreed upon and acquiesced in by the parties and their predecessors in interest for more than fifty years. The lower court found in favor of the Bates and the Ekbergs appeal.
But one question is presented: Does the evidence sustain the court’s findings that the true boundary line between appeallants’ and respondents’ property was uncertain or in dispute and that the picket fence which had been there for over 50 years and which had been replaced in 1927 by a solid board fence by both appellants’ and respondents’ immediate predecessor’s in interest had been acquiesced in as the boundary line between the properties?
The record discloses that where the present fence which is claimed as the boundary line now stands there had been a picket fence which had been built before 1894. At that time the land now belonging to appellants and respondents all belonged to one owner. It does not appear that any surveys were made by any of the parties to this suit prior to the bringing of this action. As early as about 1920 or 1921, Oscar F. Ekberg, who is one of the appellants herein and whose father at that time owned the property he now owns, had an argument with a neighbor in which he told the neighbor that they were going to make this neighbor move the fence back because it was encroaching on their land. Ekberg, Sr., upon hearing this ordered his son to keep quiet. In 1927 Ekberg, Sr., helped respondents’ predecessor in interest replace the old picket fence with a stouter high board fence which is now there and which was
In Brown v. Milliner, 120 Utah 16, 232 P. 2d 202, 207, which is the latest expression of this court in a case involving a boundary line dispute, many of the cases decided by this court on that question are reviewed and we reaffirmed the doctrine that the owners of adjoining tracts whose true boundary lines are unkonwn, in dispute or uncertain may by parol agreement establish boundary lines which are binding on themselves and their successors in interest but concluded that it did not apply to the facts of that case. We also said therein:
“* * * that in the absence of evidence that the owners of adjoining property or their predecessors in interest ever expressly agreed as to the location of the boundary between them, if they have occupied their respective premises up to an open boundary line visibly marked by monuments, fences or buildings for a long period of time and mutually recognized it as the dividing line between them, the law will imply an agreement fixing the boundary as located, if it can do so consistently with the facts appealing, and will not permit the parties nor their grantees to depart from such line. * * *”
This is so because the doctrine of boundary by acquiescence rests on sound public policy of avoiding trouble and litigation over boundaries.
In the instant case, the evidence is undisputed that the original picket fence was built by a man who owned both appellants’ and respondents’ tracts of land at that time and therefore it is apparent it was not erected to mark a boundary line. For the portion of that time during which both tracts were owned by the same person, there could be no boundary by acquiescence. However, the court made
Appellants contend that the evidence adduced herein is insufficient to sustain this finding because at the time this fence was built a survey could have determined the true boundary line and therefore the element of uncertainty necessary in establishing a boundary line by acquiescence was lacking. In support of this argument they cite Glen v. Whitney, 116 Utah 267, 209 P. 2d 257. Certain statements in that case seem to support appellants’ argument. However, those statements were mere dicta because the fence which was claimed to be the boundary line by acquiescence was built by a man who was a stranger to the title of both tracts of land involved therein and was built for his convenience to prevent the escape of his livestock. In Willie v. Local Realty Co., 110 Utah 523, 175 P. 2d 718, this question was decided by this court adversely to appellants’ contention. We said therein on page 723 of 175 P.:
“Defendant contends that there was no dispute or uncertainty about the division line in this case because the deeds were clear and certain and each lot had the full frontage called for by the deeds and therefore the rule relating to establishment of boundaries by acquiescence does not apply. It is true that the line called for by the deeds could have easily been ascertained by a survey. However, a boundary line may be ‘uncertain1 or ‘in dispute1 even though it is capable of being readily ascertained. The vital question is whether the adjacent owners when they fixed the line or acquiesced in its being fixed were uncertain or in dispute about the location of the actual line.”
In the instant case no survey had been made to determine the actual boundary line until after this suit was brought. After the separate tracts had been conveyed by the original
The length of time necessary to establish a boundary line by acquiescence has never been definitely established in this jurisdiction. Each case must usually be determined
“* * * While the authorities are hopelessly confused and generally uncertain as to the time the acquiescence as to the location of the boundary line should continue in order to satisfy the rule, it is but logical to say that such acquiescence must continue for a period of not less than five years, thus conforming to the period established by the statute of limitation in cases of adverse possession. * * *”
In the instant case as we have pointed out above there was a period of actual acquiescence for more than 7 years (the Utah limitations period for adverse possession) before appellants acquired their title and under all the circumstances shown herein that was a sufficient length of time to establish the line so that appellants are precluded from claiming that it is not the true line.
Even though there can be no boundary by acquiescence while one person owns both lots, in view of the fact that the evidence was sufficient to sustain a finding that the fence was the boundary line by acquiescence, the error is not prejudicial.
Affirmed. Costs to respondents.
Concurring Opinion
(concurring).
Under the facts and circumstances of this case, where there is positive evidence of the establishment of the fence line plus continuing acquiescence thereafter, I am willing to agree that “acquiescence for a long period of time” heretofore required by our doctrine may be as short as seven
Reference
- Full Case Name
- EKBERG Et Ux. v. BATES Et Ux.
- Cited By
- 15 cases
- Status
- Published