Opinion ID: 1180964
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: counterclaim as to misplaced boundary

Text: Defendant Cannon's assertion that the boundary fence between his property and that of plaintiffs' is 10.75 feet too far west and thus encroaches upon his land to that extent is based upon a survey which he caused to be made by a surveyor, Mr. Scott Horton. The evidence, and the finding of the trial court, is that when Glen Parker sold the tract now owned by defendant Cannon to Theron Briggs in July of 1952, they measured the land and built a fence along the common boundary, the west boundary of the Parker tract and the east boundary of the Briggs tract, which is the boundary Mr. Cannon now claims should be 10.75 feet to the east. It is significant that it appears to be undisputed, and the trial court found, that that boundary has continued to so exist from that time until the present, a period of more than 25 years. In support of the view of the trial court that he was not convinced by the defendant's evidence on his counterclaim, it is deemed not amiss to refer to certain frailties in Mr. Horton's testimony. He did not measure the distance from plaintiffs' northwest corner to their northeast corner to determine if they had acquired 107 feet, that is, 10 feet more than the 97 foot wide Parker tract which was deeded to them. Nor did he measure the width of the defendant's property lying west of the fence, to determine if the land occupied by the defendant was 196.5 feet as conveyed to him in his deeds, which left him with only 186.5 feet in width. From the plat introduced in evidence it appears that defendant got his 196.5 feet. It is also to be noted that Mr. Horton's survey was measured by him from a monument which he stated was in the center of Redwood Road and which was marked as the N 1/4 corner of Section 22. No evidence was offered as to when this monument was placed or by whom. It is true that in cases of equity this Court may weigh the evidence and determine the facts. [4] However, it is well established in our decisional law that due to the advantaged position of the trial court, there is indulged a presumption of correctness of the findings and judgment; and that where the evidence may conflict we do not upset the lower court's findings unless the evidence clearly preponderates against them. [5] Upon the basis of the evidence and applicable rules of law, it appears that the trial court was justified in its findings and judgment that the plaintiffs had an easement in and a right to use the irrigation ditches referred to, and in his being unpersuaded that the plaintiffs' boundary encroached upon the defendant's property. Other claims of error have been examined and are deemed to be without merit. Affirmed. Costs to plaintiffs (respondents). MAUGHAN, WILKINS, HALL and STEWART, JJ., concur.