Opinion ID: 2612907
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Propriety of action to quiet title

Text: Miscovich first contends that Tryck should have been barred from prevailing on his quiet title claim because he failed to allege or prove possession. To prevail in an action to quiet title to real property, a plaintiff must prove possession of the property; otherwise the proper cause of action is ejectment. AS 09.45.010; Welcome v. Jennings, 780 P.2d 1039, 1042 (Alaska 1989); Shope v. Sims, 658 P.2d 1336, 1339 (Alaska 1983). However, the possession requirement may be met through a showing of constructive possession. Welcome, 780 P.2d at 1043. In Welcome, we held that the plaintiff's compliance with statutory requirements ... [relating to discovery, location, and recordation of a mining claim,] is sufficient to establish constructive possession of the claims and permit him to maintain a quiet title action. 780 P.2d at 1043. The superior court found that Tryck performed the required assessment work for 1988 and 1989, filing proof of compliance with the federal government. The court also found that Miscovich, acting in his capacity as lessee and co-owner of the mining claims, had filed the required assessment notices for the other relevant years, except for the period in between 1958-68, in which no other person relocated the claims. See Dodge v. Wilkinson, 664 P.2d 157, 159 n. 3 (Alaska 1983) (holding that where claims were subject to relocation for a considerable period of time because no annual assessment work was performed on the claims, [the] resumption of assessment work ... cured this default because it occurred prior to any relocation by another person.); 2 American Law of Mining § 45.09[1] (2d ed. 1984); 30 U.S.C. § 28 (1988). The trial court found this evidence sufficient to support the conclusion that Tryck and his predecessor in interest, Shropshire, met the requirements for constructive possession and that Tryck could therefore maintain an action to quiet title to the claims. We find no error.