Court Opinion

ID: 9656453
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 19:48:26.985026+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:32.428237
License: Public Domain

Rodgers, J., dissenting,
On Suggestion of Error:
This case has been presented to the conference repeatedly and much study has been devoted to this very difficult statement of facts, nevertheless, I am convinced we have reached the wrong conclusion. I agree with the dissenting opinion of Judge Inzer for the following reasons: (1) Assuming there was an imperceptible movement of the creek from the east to the west and that such movement was a gradual accretion, rather than a sudden avulsion, the evidence, in my humble opinion, shows otherwise, obviously such accretion occurred long before the parties purchased the land west of the creek. Their deed described definite points in the northwest and southwest corners of their lots, and was the same description previously given to this land in other deeds before the creek moved. This, in my judgment, establishes a claim by color of title to all of the lands described in their deeds, at the time they went into possession, without regard to where the creek was located at the time the deeds were made. They occupied and used twenty-seven acres of land east of the creek and therefore were entitled to all of the lands described within the calls of their deed because of their adverse claim to a *634part of the property, thus occupied. (2) Again assuming that there was sufficient evidence to establish that there was an accretion by the creek from east to west after the parties became riparian proprietors of the land to the west, nevertheless, it is shown by overwhelming evidence that the owners of the land on the west used, occupied and claimed twenty-seven acres east of the creek and there can be no reasonable dispute as to the fact that they used and occupied this twenty-seven acres longer than was necessary to establish a claim by adverse possession to the land. But, said the landowner to the east, they did not claim adverse possession to twenty-seven acres, nor did they prove the description or area of land used east of the creek. The answer to that argument is obvious. The twenty-seven acres were shown by aerial photograph, from which actual metes and bounds description was easily obtainable. Moreover, the title was divested from the western riparian proprietors upon a cross bill filed by the eastern riparian proprietor, and the burden was upon the cross-complainants to show they obtained title by accretion — not avulsion •— to all of the lands claimed to have been obtained by accretion. 56 Am. Jur. Waters § 487 (1947). The facts show beyond question that the eastern landowner never had possession of the twenty-seven acres used by the western riparian proprietor.
In either case, we should have reversed the trial court. I am of the opinion that the western landowner was entitled to all of his land up to the eastern boundary as shown by the calls of the description in his deed. Failing in this argument, he was certainly entitled to the lands he adversely occupied for more than ten years.
I join in this dissent to hold up a flag to the trial courts, so that they as well as the appellate court may be reminded that the taking of property from one landowner and giving it to another, is not only fraught with danger of injustice, but the court should be very cautious *635in using a legal fiction as a tool to divest property owners of title to their land. I believe the Suggestion of Error should be sustained.