Opinion ID: 1179782
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Easements by Grant

Text: The jury found that plaintiffs possessed an easement by grant over roads A, A1, A2, and B, based on the 1932 deed transfers from the Mueller Realty Company to Eugenia Rochester and Harry Mueller. Daly argues on appeal that (1) she was a bona fide purchaser without knowledge of the easements, and (2) there was not sufficient evidence indicating that the above-mentioned roads were those referenced in the 1932 deeds. Daly's first argument fails for two reasons. The deeds in question which refer to the easements were admitted as plaintiffs' exhibits C and D at trial. The exhibits, on their face, indicate they were both recorded in the Lake County land records on October 19, 1932. The parties stipulated that the chain of title documents would be admitted into evidence without foundational testimony. Even though Daly argues on appeal that the deeds bears no signatures or notary seal, Daly did not object when the exhibits were admitted into evidence. She cannot now be allowed to refute the deeds' authenticity as failure to object to the issue at trial precludes her from raising the issue on appeal. See Hando v. PPG Industries, Inc. (1995), 272 Mont. 146, 900 P.2d 281; Bridger v. Lake (1995), 271 Mont. 186, 896 P.2d 406. Furthermore, Daly admitted that she was aware of the roads across her property when she and her husband purchased the land, thus she had actual knowledge of the roads and therefore cannot now claim bona fide purchaser status. With respect to Daly's second argument, she is correct that there is no direct evidence that roads A, A1, A2, and B were those referred to in the 1932 deed. Neither party could find anyone whose memory dated back that far or obtain aerial photographs that old. However, the jury was presented with circumstantial evidence regarding the roads in question. Two elderly witnesses, Sid Walker and Red Tucker, testified that roads A and B existed in the mid-1930s and were well-traveled at the time. Walker identified the roads from a 1937 aerial photograph and testified that he used road A as a youngster to reach the lake. Tucker testified that road A was used at the time to get down to the boulevard and that road B was the old county road. Furthermore, Daly's attorney admitted in the 1989 letter to the plaintiffs that road A existed in 1932. The jury was presented with the evidence and weighed the testimony accordingly. Roads A1 and A2 are actually a part of road A and are merely different forks, both of which lead to road G on the boulevard. Testimony was received that the public used road A in the mid-1930s to reach road G and that road B was the old county road. We conclude there was substantial credible evidence to support the jury's finding that plaintiffs possessed an easement by grant over roads A, A1, A2, and B, and therefore affirm that portion of the jury's verdict.