Court Opinion

ID: 9600256
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:25:27.550738+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:04:43.597916
License: Public Domain

CROCKETT, Justice
(concurring specially) .
The recitals in the 1909 deeds quoted in the main opinion gave constructive notice of whatever reasonable inquiry would have disclosed, and no more. I think the standard of reasonable care in making inquiry may well have been met by checking to see if any such decree was recorded as required by statute1 and having found none was so recorded, it may have reasonably been assumed that none existed. With respect to the poles and guy wires on the property: they did not necessarily represent any unequivocal claim of ownership. The property was admittedly not enclosed by any fence or any other indication of boundary, and the poles were upon only part of it. They may have been consistent with a use without claim of ownership and easement, or a claim for only a portion of the property. However, in view of all of the circumstances, the recitals in the deeds, and the presence of the poles, I believe the trial court could reasonably find that reasonable care in making inquiry would have given notice of the interest of the railroad. That being so, we should affirm the determination by the trial court, and are not called upon to say whether the facts would charge the defendants with notice as a matter of law.

. See footnote 1 to main opinion.