Opinion ID: 1133460
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Nature of Hill Easement

Text: The first question presented by this appeal is whether the Hills' easement is appurtenant or in gross, which bears on the issue of transferability. R.C.R., Inc. argues that the Hill easement was an easement in gross, which terminated upon the Hills' conveyance to MC Operating Company [3] in 1988. `An easement is appurtenant to land when the easement is created to benefit and does benefit the possessor of the land in his use of the land.' Weber v. Johnston Fuel Liners, Inc., 519 P.2d 972, 975 (Wyo.1974) (quoting Restatement of Property § 453, at 2914 (1944)). In contrast, `[a]n easement is in gross when it is not created to benefit or when it does not benefit the possessor of any tract of land in his use of it as such possessor.' Id. (quoting Restatement of Property, supra, § 454, at 2917). An easement will not be presumed to be in gross when it can fairly be construed to be appurtenant. Id. The Hill easement, the pertinent portions of which are set out in the facts, includes terms which we have described as badges of an appurtenant easement. The language of the easement indicates that it was created to benefit a specific tract of land. Weber, 519 P.2d at 975. The conveyance contains a perpetual right-of-way grant for ingress and egress to the Hills' property, including the right to inspect and maintain the road. Id. The easement benefits the Hills in their use of their property and is not limited to the Hills personally. Rather, the Platts granted the access rights to the Grantee, their heirs and assigns, and the instrument expressly states that its provisions shall inure to the benefit of the parties, their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, assigns and legal representatives. Id. The easement can, therefore, fairly be construed as appurtenant. An easement appurtenant is transferred with possession of the dominant property even if it is not mentioned in the document of transfer. Delgue v. Curutchet, 677 P.2d 208, 212 (Wyo.1984). The Easements document contains no limitations on the transferability of the easement and, in fact, contemplates future transfers of both the dominant and servient estates. The district court correctly concluded that the Hill easement is an easement appurtenant which is transferable and which survived the conveyance of the Hill tract.