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Title & Boundary Dispute Law in Connecticut

Finding out that property lines are improperly drawn and learning that you have been partially occupying your neighbor's land, or vice versa, can create some fairly serious legal issues.

Sometimes, neighbors will decide amongst themselves that the issue isn't worth fighting over, and will go on as they did before. This is particularly likely if the neighbors are on good terms, and the difference between their use of the land, and the actual property lines, is small (say, a few feet or less). This is an ideal situation, at least in the short term. It can, however, cause problems in the future - preventing a neighbor from enforcing the actual property lines, if they suddenly have a reason to do so.

Consequently, neighbors more frequently end up in some type of legal dispute over whether and to what extent the property lines should be enforced. Obviously, when the property lines are changed, one neighbor wins, and the other loses. It should come as no surprise, then, that legal fights are often the result.

In Waterbury, Connecticut, property can also be the subject of title disputes, rather than boundary disputes described above. These types of disputes stem from disagreements over who owns a piece of property. Confusion in this area is more prevalent than one might think. If a deed is improperly recorded, land can be "owned" by 2 people simultaneously. Even more troublesome is when land is "sold" to more than one person. This is typically inadvertent, but some people do it deliberately, hoping to abscond the profits gained by selling the same thing twice. In cases like this, a court has to determine which buyer owns the land. This is a big deal, considering how unlikely it is that a defrauded buyer could get his or her money back.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Waterbury, Connecticut

One possible outcome of a boundary dispute is a court effectively re-drawing the boundaries to fit what the neighbors had perceived. This is most frequently done if the neighbors were aware for a long time of the "real" property lines, and didn't do anything about it. It also helps if the neighbor who is encroaching makes major improvements to the land, and enforcing the new property lines would place a major burden on him.

A court might do the opposite, and decide to enforce the property lines as they're drawn. This will always benefit one neighbor and hurt the other. A court will probably do this if one neighbor knew that his land was encroaching onto another person's property, and actively tried to hide that fact from his neighbor. Obviously, such bad behavior shouldn't be rewarded. Conversely, if the neighbor whose land was being encroached upon knew about the discrepancy, and did nothing about it, the court will probably change the property lines to reflect this prior use, to prevent that neighbor from being rewarded for "sitting on his rights."

In the case of disputes over title, courts have to figure out who owns a particular piece of real property. Courts will consider many factors, and there are some confusing and (in some cases) antiquated legal issues that guide Waterbury, Connecticut courts on these matters.

Without delving into the details too much, courts typically resolve title disputes by looking at who recorded the deed first, and whether or not that person had notice of any prior sales of the same land. To succeed in a dispute like this, a buyer will usually need to prove that they were the first to record their deed, and that they had no notice (or reason to know) of any prior conveyances of the same land.

What Can A Waterbury, Connecticut Attorney Do?

The legal issues surrounding title and boundary disputes can get pretty intricate, and there are typically very high stakes involved (most people think their land is pretty important). For that reason, a good Waterbury, Connecticut real estate attorney will prove invaluable if such a dispute arises.

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Life in Waterbury

Waterbury is located in New Haven County in the state of Connecticut. Waterbury, Connecticut has a population of about 111,000 and is noted for being the 5th largest city in the state.

Waterbury is commonly known as the "Brass City", due to its heavy production of brass throughout the decades. It was the leading producer of brassware in the U.S. during the early 20th century. In particular, Waterbury industries produced much of the brass casting and finishing in America. It is also a leading manufacturer of brass clocks and watches.

Currently, Waterbury, Connecticut offers numerous opportunities for residential housing, retail shopping, and employment. For example, the Brass Mill Center is a modern shopping complex that features nationally-known retail stores and restaurants. It also houses a cinema that shows feature films. Also, Main Street in Waterbury is an area dedicated to both historic preservation and downtown revitalization. It is host to a number of community events and business developments.

Waterbury Judicial District Courthouse is a major landmark in the city. Many Waterbury lawyers assist their clients by filing legal claims at the courthouse. Lawyers in Waterbury, Connecticut provide legal services in a diverse spectrum of legal fields.

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Waterbury Boundary Dispute Lawyers and Waterbury Title Attorneys

Title & Boundary Dispute Law in Connecticut

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Waterbury, Connecticut