Court Opinion

ID: 9643880
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 20:42:41.982598+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:05.023416
License: Public Domain

ALEXANDER, J.,
concurring and dissenting.
[¶ 65] I concur in all of the Court’s carefully considered opinion except that part which reverses the trial court’s determination that the Sherwood deed and title history does not include the Paper Mill Road. From that portion of the Court’s opinion, I respectfully dissent.
[¶ 66] Citing McGrath v. Hills, 662 A.2d 215, 217 (Me.1995), the Court recognizes that the party claiming title, on this issue Sherwood, bears the burden of establishing title. ¶ 35. Determining the proper owner of the Paper Mill Road is a mixed question of law and fact — construing the deed, a question of law, then locating the land described by the Court’s construction on the face of the earth, a question of fact. See Eaton v. Town of Wells, 2000 ME 176, ¶ 19, 760 A.2d 232. In this case particularly, deed construction is effected by how one resolves conflicting views about the facts regarding the shared east-west boundary.
[¶ 67] While the Court’s statement of the issues makes the questions for decision seem relatively clear, the case presented to the trial court was anything but clear. The court was given a great volume of confusing and conflicting evidence. From this record, the Court developed a generally reasonable result, including its finding that Sherwood had failed to establish title to the Paper Mill Road. The trial court having found against Sherwood, who had the burden of proof, the result can only be reversed if the record compels the conclusion that Sherwood has title. See Hughes Bros., Inc. v. A & M Contractors, 1999 ME 175, ¶ 2, 740 A.2d 996, 997. This confused and conflicted record does not compel such a conclusion. Accordingly, I would not disturb the trial court’s determination on this point.