Opinion ID: 1186809
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Heading: Existence of the prescriptive easement

Text: The trial judge held that the appellants' 20 acre parcel was subject to a prescriptive easement in favor of the respondents for access to their property. We affirm the trial judge as to the existence of a prescriptive easement. The extent and scope of the easement will be discussed under II. In order to establish a private prescriptive easement by adverse use the claimant must submit proof of open, notorious, continuous, uninterrupted use, under claim of right, with knowledge of the owner of the servient tenement, for the prescriptive period. Webster v. Magleby, 98 Idaho 326, 563 P.2d 50 (1977); West v. Smith, 95 Idaho 550, 511 P.2d 1326 (1973). The prescriptive period in Idaho is five years. I.C. § 5-203. The general rule is that proof of open, notorious, continuous, uninterrupted use of the claimed right for the prescriptive period, without evidence as to how the use began raises the presumption that the use was adverse and under claim of right. Once this is established the burden is then on the owner of the servient tenement to show that the use was permissive, or by virtue of a license, contract, or agreement. West v. Smith, supra ; Deer Creek, Inc. v. Hibbard, 94 Idaho 533, 493 P.2d 392 (1972); Sinnett v. Werelus, 83 Idaho 514, 365 P.2d 952 (1961). This general rule fixing the presumption of adverse use and shifting the burden on to the owner of the servient estate is inapplicable where the prescriptive easement is claimed over open, wild, unenclosed, unimproved land. Trunnell v. Ward, 86 Idaho 555, 389 P.2d 221 (1964); Cox v. Cox, 84 Idaho 513, 373 P.2d 929 (1962); Eagle Rock Corp. v. Idamont Hotel Company, 59 Idaho 413, 85 P.2d 242 (1938). The trial judge found that the use of the roadway by the respondents and their predecessors in interest was open, notorious, continuous, and under claim of rights since the early 1930's and that the appellants and their predecessors in interest had knowledge of such use. He further found that the appellants' 20 acre parcel was not wild, open, unenclosed, unimproved land. The trial judge thus found that the respondents had sufficiently proven each of the elements necessary to establish a prescriptive easement. We find no error in this conclusion. The appellants claim that the trial court erred in holding that respondents had established a prescriptive easement. The appellants argue, that prior to the construction of the fence in the early 1940's, the 20 acre parcel was wild, open land thus requiring the respondents to produce some evidence other than or in addition to mere use of the roadway to establish adverseness and claim of right. The appellants argue that since the perimeter fence was constructed with the permission of the owner of the 20 acre parcel any subsequent use of the road was entirely permissive and that prior to the construction of the fence any use of the road did not deprive them or their predecessors in interest of any property right. Neither our research nor the briefs filed in this case have disclosed authorities which clearly define wild, open, unenclosed, unimproved lands. The many cases which have relied on that principle lack precedential value because they fail to set out sufficient facts describing the land in question and the reasons for the conclusions that the lands in question were wild and open. See generally 46 A.L.R.2d 1140. The trial court concluded that the appellants' 20 acre parcel should not be considered wild, open land. The servient parcel of land in question was a small tract located between a public highway and a larger improved tract of land. The distance separating the public highway from the 700 acre parcel was only some 700 feet (the length of the dirt road). Considering the size of the parcel, its location, and the surrounding property, the finding of the trial court that the 20 acre parcel was not wild and open land is supported by competent evidence and will not be disturbed on appeal. Webster v. Magleby, supra . This is an appropriate case to apply the principle of law that open, notorious, continuous, and uninterrupted use of the way for the statutory period raises a presumption of adverseness and claim of right, shifting the burden to the owner of the servient tenement to prove otherwise. Since the trial court concluded that the 20 acre parcel was not wild and open prior to the construction of the fence, a prescriptive easement was established before that construction. Consequently, discussion of permissive use afterwards is unnecessary. It should be noted however that the appellants did not establish that the use of the road after the construction of the fence was permissive. The evidence only discloses that permission was given to construct the fence and use the 20 acre parcel for pasturage. The evidence does not indicate that permission was given to use the property as a means of ingress and egress to the 700 acre parcel. The trial court found that any use of the roadway by the respondents and their predecessors since 1930 was under claim of right and therefore not permissive. This finding is supported by substantial and competent evidence and will not be disturbed on appeal. Trunnell v. Ward, supra . We agree with the trial judge that the respondents established a prescriptive easement. We also affirm his conclusion concerning the dimensions of the roadway since this finding is supported by substantial and competent evidence.