Opinion ID: 1946623
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Location of the Right-of-Way

Text: The defendants contend that the trial justice erred in determining that the right-of-way was located along the northern boundary of plaintiffs' property. The relevant deed from Mr. James, which granted the right-of-way to Natale Ritacco, George Ritacco, Pasquale Ritacco, and Francesco Scavello, places the right-of-way along the northerly boundary line of the grantor's premises. The trial justice reviewed this language and heard expert testimony from both parties concerning the location of the right-of-way. The plaintiffs introduced expert testimony from a registered and licensed engineer and surveyor, who testified that, upon examining plaintiffs' property, the boundaries were clear and the right-of-way was located along the northern boundary of plaintiffs' property. The defendants' expert, also a registered and licensed engineer and surveyor, testified that he could not determine the location of the right-of-way because of an ambiguity in the deed. Yet on cross-examination, defendants' expert stated that he did not actually survey the property but simply looked at the various deeds. Upon hearing the testimony from both experts, the trial justice accepted that of plaintiffs' expert because he was [t]he only person who surveyed the land in question. Ultimately, the trial justice found in favor of plaintiffs and concluded that he had no doubt that the right-of-way existed along the northern boundary of plaintiffs' property. A review of the record plainly supports the trial justice's findings. It was well within the trial justice's discretion to conclude that plaintiffs presented credible evidence of the right-of-way's location along the northern boundary of plaintiffs' property. Indeed, this finding comports with the September 3, 1999 consent order, which places the right-of-way along the northern boundary of plaintiffs' property. The trial justice's finding of the location of the right-of-way, given his credibility determinations and the evidence presented, was soundly within his discretion, and accordingly this Court will affirm his determination.