Opinion ID: 2159898
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the court's new presumption

Text: [¶ 42] The Court today creates a new presumption to negate the presumption of adversity in prescriptive easement cases, holding that public recreational use of private land is presumed to be permissive. Because this new presumption is based on the use of the land instead of the character of the land, it departs significantly from our established case law. [¶ 43] The Court justifies its new presumption by claiming that it is not new, but rooted in our precedents. This is incorrect. From Maine's first year as a state, we have recognized that the law of prescriptive easements developed in the improved, agricultural terrain of England could not be applied without change to the wild lands of Maine. Bethum v. Turner, 1 Me. 111, 115-16 (1820). We first held over one hundred and thirty years ago that use of open and unenclosed land is presumed permissive. Mayberry v. Inhabitants of Standish, 56 Me. 342, 353 (1868) (citing Hewins v. Smith, 52 Mass. (11 Met.) 241 (1846)). Early in the last century we explained that this presumption of permission was an exception to the generally applicable presumption of adversity. Thompson v. Bowes, 115 Me. 6, 9-10, 97 A. 1, 1 (1916). In none of our early cases did we indicate that the presumption had anything to do with the use rather than the character of the land. We subsequently applied the presumption to land with a variety of uses, both recreational and non-recreational. E.g., Littlefield v. Hubbard, 124 Me. 299, 304, 128 A. 285, 288 (1925) (applying presumption of permission to use of uncultivated, unenclosed seashore property by hunters, commercial fishermen, people harvesting seaweed, and others). [¶ 44] Our more recent cases discussing the presumption of permission have involved recreational use, e.g., Augusta Country Club, 477 A.2d at 1130, [9] but this is more a reflection of changing land use patterns than of a change in the law. Before today we have never held that the presumption was triggered by the use of the land rather than the wild and uncultivated nature of the land. On the contrary, in the most recent such case we stated: When the land is wild and uncultivated, Maine applies the rule that open and continuous use for the requisite length of time raises a rebuttable presumption that the use was permissive. Eaton, 2000 ME 176, ¶ 32, 760 A.2d at 244. [¶ 45] Further indication that a presumption of permission based on the use of the land is an unprecedented innovation comes from looking at authorities from outside Maine, which strongly support a presumption based on the character of the land. RESTATEMENT (THIRD) OF PROPERTY: SERVITUDES § 2.16 cmt. g (2000) (Evidence that the claimed servient estate was wild, unenclosed, vacant land overcomes the presumption of adverse use in many states, creating a presumption that the use was permissive.); 4 POWELL ON REAL PROPERTY § 34.10[2][c] (2001) (citing cases from sixteen states holding that presumption of adversity does not apply where land is open, unenclosed, and unimproved); 25 AM. JUR. 2D Easements & Licenses § 53 (1996) (citing cases from eleven states holding that there is presumption of permission and/or no presumption of adversity for use of wild or unenclosed land); J.J. Marticelli, Annotation, Acquisition by user or prescription of right of way over uninclosed land, 46 A.L.R.2D 1140, 1142-43 & n. 9 (1956) (citing cases from twenty-five states for prevailing rule that no presumption of adversity arises for use of unenclosed land). The Court's holding thus not only departs from our own precedents, but also puts us out of step with the law in other states. [¶ 46] The justification offered for this change is that the Court desires to give property owners more protection than our existing law provides against the acquisition of easements by prescription. In one important respect, however, today's holding apparently makes it easier to acquire a prescriptive easement. Under our case law, any use of wild and uncultivated land has been presumed permissive. See Eaton, 2000 ME 176, ¶ 32, 760 A.2d at 244. By replacing the traditional presumption of permission with one that only applies to public recreational use, the Court gives those who use wild and uncultivated land for private or nonrecreational uses the benefit of the presumption of adversity. The effect of this change in the law is to shift the burden to landowners to prove that, for example, private use for commercial timber harvesting or public use for transportation purposes was permissive. [¶ 47] Furthermore, we should not make such a significant change in well-established real estate law on the basis of our own notions of public policy. The Legislature has demonstrated its ability to alter the law of prescriptive easements for public policy reasons. See 14 M.R.S.A. § 812 (1980) (providing means of giving notice to prevent acquisition of prescriptive easement); id. § 814 (providing that interest in roads in unorganized territory cannot be acquired by prescription). I can discern no need for the Court to depart from existing law at this time. If reasons exist for changing the settled law in order to strengthen landowners' rights or encourage public recreation, we should leave such tasks to the Legislature. [¶ 48] For these reasons, I dissent from the adoption of the new presumption. I would decide the case on the established prescriptive easement law. The evidence in this case was essentially undisputed that the public used the road through the Baptist School's property for recreational purposes continuously throughout the prescriptive period and that the Baptist School knew of this use and acquiesced in it. The evidence does not compel a finding that the Baptist School actively permitted the public's use. The trial court's findings are not clearly erroneous. I would affirm the judgment.