Opinion ID: 1280931
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Existence of Implied Easement.

Text: VBC argues the trial court erred by recognizing an implied easement in favor of Peterson where the chain of title includes warranty deeds from the Legion to VBC and where the Legion acquired its interest through warranty deeds. [3] Essentially, VBC contends that implied easements should never be recognized and that all disputes concerning interests in land must be determined only by resort to written instruments. In contrast, Peterson contends that an implied easement may exist under established case law and the Restatement of Property, and defends the trial court's analysis. The standard rules which guide the interpretation of the documents conveying real property were discussed in Northwest Realty Co. v. Jacobs, 273 N.W.2d 141 (S.D.1978). The paramount rule of construction is that the intention of the parties, and the grantor in particular, is to be ascertained by a fair consideration of the entire instrument and the language therein, without undue emphasis on any particular part or provision of the document.... Furthermore, a grant is to be construed in favor of the grantee and a fee simple title is presumed to be intended to pass by a grant of real property unless it appears from the grant that a lesser estate was intended. Where the term right of way is used in a deed it usually indicates that only an easement or a right of passage is being conveyed or reserved. In such a case the instrument should be construed as conveying an easement unless the instrument, considered as a whole, indicates that the parties intended the passage of fee title. If, however, construction of the instrument as a whole leaves the intention of the parties in doubt, consideration must be given to the situation and circumstances of the parties at the time of the execution of the deed in order to determine what was within their contemplation at that time. Id. at 144-45 (citations omitted; emphasis in original). It is in this vein VBC contends that, absent an express written conveyance of an easement and absent an easement by prescription, mere use of real property will not support an inference of an implied dedication. See Smith v. Sponheim, 399 N.W.2d 899 (S.D.1987). VBC's reliance on Smith is misplaced and its contention that a warranty deed which does not contain an express easement precludes recognition of an implied easement is inconsistent with prior decisions of this court. Smith concerned the dedication of a public road, not an easement. Although the decision in Northwest Realty correctly states the manner in which deeds are interpreted, the focus of the issue there was whether there had been a conveyance of fee title or an easement only as the written documents were inconsistent. Northwest Realty did not address a circumstance where, as here, the written documents were silent as to an easement or right-of-way and the grantor and grantee had openly used the land in recognition of a servient estate, nor did it purport to limit the creation of easements to express conveyances. South Dakota law has long recognized easements and it is well established that [t]he extent of a servitude is determined by the terms of the grant, or the nature of the enjoyment by which it was acquired.  SDCL 43-13-5 (emphasis added). Once the parameters of an easement are established it runs with the land, passing to whomever buys the property for the benefit of the easement holder. SDCL 43-25-30. [4] An easement may be created by implication even where there is no express conveyance or the conveyance is not recorded because constructive notice is deemed to exist when an apparent servitude of one parcel in favor of another is obvious to anyone viewing the land. In Homes Development Co. v. Simmons, 75 S.D. 575, 580, 70 N.W.2d 527, 530 (1955) (deeds did not refer to irrigation ditch easement or water right), we acknowledged the generally recognized rule: [W]here, during the unity of title, an apparently permanent and obvious servitude is imposed on one part of an estate in favor of another part, which servitude, at the time of the severance, is in use and is reasonably necessary for the fair enjoyment of the other part of the estate, then upon a severance of the ownership, a grant of the right to continue such use arises by implication of law. (Citations omitted.) See Wiege v. Knock, 293 N.W.2d 146, 148 (S.D.1980) (easement not recorded). Such is the case here. Also, like this case, the court in Wiege rejected the argument that an easement should not be recognized because it was not reserved in a deed or other recorded writing and, as a result, the subsequent purchasers had no notice of the easement. The Wiege court stated: Notice of an easement is generally imputed to a purchaser where the easement is of such character that a purchaser acting with ordinary diligence would know or learn of its existence. Thus, where the easement is open and visible, the purchaser will be charged with notice even though the easement was created by a grant which was not then recorded. The grantee is bound where a reasonably careful inspection of the premises would disclose the existence of the easement or where the grantee has knowledge of facts sufficient to put a prudent buyer on inquiry. Id. at 148 (citations omitted). Here, the trial court found that the prior use of the parking lot was open and visible, based upon its ability to view the evidence and the witnesses at trial. See Voelker v. Voelker, 520 N.W.2d 903 (S.D.1994) (trial court's opportunity to observe witnesses and evidence first hand is to be accorded deference). Indeed, VBC concedes in its brief that the use of the parking lot was known to all of the parties. In reaching its decision, the trial court recognized the existence of Peterson's easement by adopting the Restatement of Property,  450 and 474-76 (1944). [5] The precedent of this court establishes that implied easements have been recognized previously, and it is unnecessary to look beyond the authority of Simmons and its progeny to find the legal basis for the recognition of an implied easement. See Townsend v. Yankton Super 8 Motel, Inc., 371 N.W.2d 162, 164-65 (S.D.1985) (constructive notice of an unrecorded easement exists under SDCL 17-1-4 when purchaser or his agent has sufficient knowledge of the facts to put the prudent buyer on inquiry); Steele v. Pfeifer, 310 N.W.2d 782, 786 (S.D.1981) (notice of easement is determined by whether the purchaser had sufficient facts to inquire about the situation). Thus, we express no opinion as to the applicability of the Restatement here. The trial court found that Grantor had used the parking lot for the Golf Course patrons prior to the sale to the Legion of the parcel containing the parking lot. It is also found that during the time subsequent to this sale, the Golf Course patrons continued to use the parking lot and that such use was beneficial to both Grantor, owner of the Golf Course, and the Legion, owner of the supper club. [6] The trial court specifically found that such use was open and obvious and VBC had constructive notice of the existence of this easement. Since VBC had notice of the easement, it acquired the property subject to the easement. Our review here is confined to a determination of whether there is evidence to support the trial court's decision, and this record clearly contains adequate evidence to support the conclusion reached. See In re Estate of Smith, 520 N.W.2d 80 (S.D.1994). We do not search out reasons to reverse the trial court, even if we would not have made a similar decision and, thus, the trial court's decision will not be reversed. See Id.; City of Winner v. Bechtold Investments, Inc., 488 N.W.2d 416 (S.D.1992). In addition, despite VBC's argument otherwise, the trial court found no showing that Peterson abandoned the easement by building a new club house. The court remarked that in order for abandonment to occur there must be a showing of affirmative acts evidencing an intention by the dominant estate to give up the easement. Clear acts of nonuse demonstrating an abandonment of the right of use are absent from the facts of this case. See Shippy v. Hollopeter, 304 N.W.2d 118, 121-22 (S.D.1981); Miller v. Southard, 38 S.D. 477, 162 N.W. 146 (1917). The trial court found no evidence whatever to support an abandonment. We have considered the balance of VBC's arguments and find them to be without merit. The decision of the trial court is affirmed in its entirety. MILLER, C.J., KONENKAMP and GILBERTSON, JJ., and RUSCH, Circuit Judge, concur. RUSCH, Circuit Judge, sitting for SABERS, J., disqualified.