Court Opinion

ID: 9647846
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 13:52:53.420758+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:54.200326
License: Public Domain

DISSENTING OPINION
OSBORNE, Judge.
It appears that the holding of the trial court which is affirmed by the majority opinion herein is to the effect that the dominant tenement is free to release surface water upon the servient tenement in any quantity or with any force that it chooses so long as an additional source of water is not tapped. The same applies to the acceleration of flow. In affirming this revolutionary principle the majority opinion turns to the courts of Minnesota for authority. Enderson v. Kelehan, 226 Minn. 163, 32 N.W.2d 286.
The respective rights of property holders as they relate to the use and disposition of surface waters greatly differ in the several states. The reason for this being that problems pertaining to surface water vary with the difference in rainfall, soil texture, steepness of slope and many other factors. What is a problem in one state is not a problem in another. For this reason, the law of Arizona would differ from the law of Florida, etc. Over a period of years, each state has developed its set of rules controlling the use and disposition of surface water. We have done this in Kentucky and have adopted what is known as the “civil law doctrine” which holds that while the lower owner is bound to accept natural drainage from the upper owner, the upper owner has no right by artificial means to change or increase the normal flow of water or to accelerate the flow at any one point in such manner as to unreasonably damage the lower owner. Jarvis v. Cornett, Ky., 257 S.W.2d 524; Gott v. Franklin, 307 Ky. 466, 211 S.W.2d 680; Cissell v. Grimes Investments Inc., Ky., 383 S.W.2d 128, citing 87 C.J.S. Trespass § 106; Com., Dept. of Highways v. Roundtree, Ky., 372 S.W. *7722d 804; Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Bush, Ky., 336 S.W.2d 578; Rutherford v. Louisville & N. R. Co., Ky., 243 S.W.2d 1017; Wallace v. Schneider, 310 Ky. 17, 219 S.W.2d 977; Lewallen v. Davenport, Ky., 255 S.W.2d 16; Board v. Schneider, 301 Ky. 289, 191 S.W.2d 418; Newport News & M. V. Co. v. Wilson, 16 Ky.Law Rep. 262; Franz v. Jacobs, 183 Ky. 647, 210 S.W. 163; Kraver v. Smith, 164 Ky. 674, 177 S.W. 286; Smith v. Wathen, 156 Ky. 820, 162 S.W. 88; Raleigh v. Clark, 114 Ky. 732. 71 S.W. 857, 24 Ky.Law Rep. 1554; Stone v. Ashurst, 285 Ky. 687, 149 S.W.2d 4; Board of Trustees of Town of Auburn v. Chyle, 256 Ky. 283, 75 S.W.2d 1039; Steinke v. North Vernon Lumber Co., 190 Ky. 231, 227 S.W. 274; Wharton v. Barber, 188 Ky. 57, 221 S.W. 499; Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Stephens, 188 Ky. 1, 220 S.W. 746; Pickerill v. City of Louisville, 125 Ky. 213, 100 S.W. 873, 30 Ky.Law Rep. 1239; Robertson v. Daviess Gravel Road Co., 116 Ky. 913, 77 S.W. 189, 25 Law Rep. 1114; Bonte v. Postel, 109 Ky. 64, 58 S.W. 536, 22 Ky.Law Rep. 583, 51 L.R.A. 187; Grinstead v. Sanders, 56 S.W. 665, 22 Ky. Law Rep. 51.
This is a well-settled principle in this state and well defined though there is some unfortunate language in a few isolated cases which can not be avoided when the question is written on by so many different individuals over such a long period of time. The law generally is well settled. No later than last week the principles enunciated in the above cases were reaffirmed by this court. Commonwealth, Department of Highways v. Robbins, Ky., 421 S.W.2d 820. The majority opinion herein can do nothing but inject confusion and consternation.
For the foregoing reasons, I respectfully dissent.
MONTGOMERY, J., joins in this dissent.