Opinion ID: 1674851
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: whether consent by the possessor or property creates privilege or license to enter?

Text: Cleveland and Graham Royalty argue that they should be absolved of liability for trespass since Massey and Barnett gave them permission to dispose of salt water in the Townsend No. 3 well. They quote 75 Am.Jur.2d Trespass § 341 which states: Consent or license may be a defense to an action of trespass, provided it is granted by one in possession, or entitled to possession, of the premises, even though given under mutual mistake of fact. Indeed, this Court has held that where a tenant in possession grants permission or license for a third party to enter, the owner cannot prevail in an action for trespass against the third party. See Hicks v. Mississippi Lumber Co., 95 Miss. 353, 48 So. 624, 625 (1909); Bollinger-Franklin Lumber Co. v. Tullos, 124 Miss. 855, 87 So. 486, 486-87 (1921). The third party's right to rely on a third party's permission to enter, however, extends no further than the third party's possessory interest in the land. See generally, Restatement (Second) of Torts § 164 (1965) (one who enters land upon consent by a non-possessor is liable for trespass); 87 C.J.S. Trespass § 51 (1954) (permission to enter given by person having no authority to grant it is no defense in action for trespass). In Grisham v. Hinton, 490 So.2d 1201, 1205 (Miss. 1986), we held that when a party comes upon another's property, he incurs a duty to take whatever precaution and safeguards as are reasonably necessary under the facts of that case to assure himself that he has the lawful authority to do so. We hold that a genuine issue of material fact remains unresolved regarding whether the entry of Cleveland and Graham upon Farragut's land exceeded the bounds of Massey's and Barnett's possessory interest. This being so, we find that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Cleveland and Graham Royalty.