Opinion ID: 2054348
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Referee's Assessment of Adverse Possession

Text: [¶ 24] Fairley contends that he adversely possessed the land east of the fence, as well as the spring and high tide path, while Hennessy argues the Fairleys were on the island only a couple of weeks of the summer so did not establish the kind of use necessary to establish adverse possession. [¶ 25] We will uphold a determination of adverse possession if supported by credible evidence in the record. Striefel v. Charles-Keyt-Leaman Partnership, 1999 ME 111, ¶ 7, 733 A.2d 984, 989. A party claiming title by common law adverse possession [6] must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that [his] possession and use of the property [was]: (1) actual; (2) open; (3) visible; (4) notorious; (5) hostile; (6) under a claim of right; (7) continuous; (8) exclusive; and (9) of a duration exceeding the twenty-year limitations period. Id. ¶ 6 (internal quotation marks omitted). [¶ 26] Upon giving due regard to the referee's ability to assess the credibility of witnesses and weigh the evidence, we conclude that the referee's finding that Fairley owns the spring and high tide path is supported by the evidence. The systematic maintenance of the spring and use of the high tide path, in addition to the other evidence, fulfills the criteria for adverse possession for that land. For the rest of the land east of the fence, the referee did not err in concluding the elements of adverse possession were not met. [¶ 27] Although the referee determined that Fairley owns the spring, the spring cannot then be substituted for a stake and stones as a monument. Once it is determined that the deed cannot locate the boundary line according to requisite legal standards, the deed loses its efficacy in the determination of the boundary dispute. While the words of the Fairley deed are comprehensible, it's instructions cannot be manifested in the world without the monuments. The referee thereby determined the boundary line by figuring out what Fairley ownsinstead of using the deed to define the line, the only option was to use Fairley's ownership by adverse possession to locate the boundary. Although the referee did so in broad terms, those terms are insufficient to establish the line on the face of the earth. [¶ 28] Therefore, we remand for the referee to clarify the boundary line. The line should be drawn according to what the referee determined Fairley owns, i.e., the spring and high tide path area, as well as the land up to the fence. As currently written, the line starts at the  northwesterly side of tiled spring .... However, this excludes the spring from Fairley's possession and is inconsistent with the referee's finding that Fairley owns the spring by adverse possession. Further, the boundary line drawn by the referee does not extend to the shore. The entry is: Judgment vacated and remanded to the Superior Court to remand to the referee for clarification.