Opinion ID: 1799884
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Was the township's possession adverse to Polanski and his heirs?

Text: It appears that plaintiff argues that the possession was not adverse since the purpose of the deed was to assure the township's being paid for the relief that was granted. If the plaintiff is arguing that what was created, in effect, was an equitable mortgage with an absolute deed given for security purposes only, he has failed to allege it, and has failed to allege any facts from which this court could spell out such an intention. Perhaps it is, in fact, impossible to secure the facts necessary to make such an allegation. Considering the facts as they are stated in the complaint, it is clear that the town holds under a deed and, as such, holds by virtue of a written instrument and is entitled to attempt the use of sec. 330.06, Stats., in bar of the action if the possession is adverse. Sec. 330.06 provides: PRESUMPTION ON ADVERSE HOLDING UNDER CONVEYANCE OR JUDGMENT. Where the occupant or those under whom he claims entered into the possession of any premises under claim of title, exclusive of any other right, founding such claim upon some written instrument, as being a conveyance of the premises in question, or upon  the judgment of some competent court, and that there has been a continual occupation and possession of the premises included in such instrument or judgment or of some part of such premises under such claim for ten years, the premises so included shall be deemed to have been held adversely; except that when the premises so included consist of a tract divided into lots the possession of one lot shall not be deemed the possession of any other lot of the same tract. Our decisions interpreting sec. 330.06, Stats., and other adverse-possession statutes have repeatedly said that the possession contemplated must be open, notorious, exclusive, and, in a legal sense, hostile to the true owner. Burkhardt v. Smith (1962), 17 Wis. (2d) 132, 139, 115 N. W. (2d) 540. Where it is admitted that the present possession is the result of a conveyance by a former owner, it is obvious that there will be no forcible entry. However, the occupation of property pursuant to a deed is presumptively and in fact an act adverse to and in derogation of the former owner's title. American Jurisprudence has stated the rule thus: A vendee's possession becomes adverse . . . to his vendor . . . from the time a conveyance has actually been made to him. The possession of a grantee is presumptively adverse to his grantor. The practical utility of this rule is that a grantee may acquire title by adverse possession as against his grantor even though the conveyance under which he holds is defective. 3 Am. Jur. (2d), Adverse Possession, p. 244, sec. 162; see also 2 C. J. S., Adverse Possession, p. 649, sec. 93. In Spellbrink v. Bramberg (1944), 245 Wis. 322, 331, 14 N. W. (2d) 38, we quoted with approval a prior statement of this court: `Where one enters upon land under a recorded deed, which purports to give him a complete title, his possession becomes adverse to all the world.' Sydnor v. Palmer (1871), 29 Wis. 226, 250.  See also Bartlett v. Secor (1883), 56 Wis. 520, 528, 14 N. W. 714, where it was pointed out that where a deed had been exchanged: It seems to me very clear that in such case the possession of one would be adverse to the other, and if such possession continued for more than ten years, the former owner would be barred of his right, and a possession of twenty years under a parol agreement would be a bar also. We accordingly conclude that the possession was adverse from the time of the execution of the deed. Certainly there can be no better evidence in the town's intention to assert its claim of title against all the world than the recording of the deed. The recording is public notice of the nature of the title asserted. The plaintiff herein takes the position that the possession of the property was not adverse until such time as the heirs or beneficiaries of Herman Polanski's estate demanded a reconveyance of the property and it was refused. Such position, we conclude, misconceives the necessarily adverse position that must inevitably arise in respect to title as between grantor and grantee where, as here, there is no assertion that the deed did not purport to grant an indefeasible title. The assertion of plaintiff that adverse possession shall not commence until possession is demanded by the true owners is contrary to the very principle upon which adverse-possession statutes are based. As we stated in McCann v. Welch (1900), 106 Wis. 142, 148, 81 N. W. 996: The underlying idea of this statute is not reward to the diligent trespasser, but rather of penalty upon the negligent and dormant owner, who allows another for many years to exercise acts of possession over his property. There is no allegation that the occupation of the land has not been continuous since the time of the deed. This  is not a mere sporadic occupation which would not constitute continued and exclusive possession. Zeisler Corp. v. Page (1964), 24 Wis. (2d) 190, 198, 128 N. W. (2d) 414. The plaintiff has in fact alleged, That the defendant since the date of conveyance of aforementioned, has maintained and possessed the premises and has rented the premises and retained the profits thereby received. The rental of land to a third party is held to be an adverse use. Hatch v. Lusignan (1903), 117 Wis. 428, 433, 94 N. W. 332. We conclude that, though it were shown that the town was not in possession as a true owner, by virtue of its occupation of the property for more than ten years under a claim of title under a written instrument, it is an adverse possessor, and an action to dispossess it of the land is barred by the statutes of limitation. The occupation of the property under the deed is adverse to that of the Polanski estate and is not subordinate to it. If there were doubt that the deed was sufficient to confer the fee upon the town, its occupation and use of land thereafter would prevent its title from now being questioned. The disseizor must unfurl his flag on the land and keep it flying so that the owner may see, if he will, that the enemy has invaded his domains, and planted the standard of conquest. 8 Marquette Law Review (1924), 104, 108; Curtis v. La Grande Water Co. (1890), 20 Or. 34, 23 Pac. 808, 810.