Opinion ID: 1997643
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The meaning of the phrase right angles

Text: What the boundaries are, as ascertained from the deed, is a question of law. Conary v. Perkins, 464 A.2d 972, 975 (Me. 1983). Where boundaries are on the face of the earth is a question of fact. Id. A trial court's factual finding concerning the location of a boundary will not be disturbed on appeal unless it is clearly erroneous. Rhoda v. Fitzpatrick, 655 A.2d 357, 360 (Me.1995). The court's determination that the phrase right angles as used in the Snyder deed means a ninety degree right angle was a legal determination, see Hodgdon v. Campbell, 411 A.2d 667, 672 (Me.1980) (holding that referee's determination of the meaning of the word parallel was a legal determination), and is subject to de novo review. Estate of Hardy, 609 A.2d 1162, 1163 (Me.1992). There is no Maine case in which the phrase right angles has been interpreted. A search of the leading treatises did not disclose any helpful caselaw from other jurisdictions. A dictionary in common use defines a right angle as: [a]n angle formed by the perpendicular intersection of two straight lines; an angle of 90 degrees. AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY 1063 (2d ed. 1982). That definition supports the trial court's conclusion that the phrase right angles means a ninety degree angle.