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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 cause some very 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 especially 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, nonetheless, cause problems in the future - preventing a neighbor from enforcing the actual property lines, if they suddenly have a reason to do so.

Therefore, neighbors more often 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.

Title disputes in Guilford, Connecticut, on the other hand, involve questions of ownership over an entire parcel of land. This confusion can occasionally arise from improperly recorded deeds, resulting in inadvertent (and, occasionally, deliberate) sales of the same parcel of land to multiple people. Obviously, each buyer wants to be the one who takes title, particularly if it seems unlikely that they'll be able to get their money back. This can lead to some very heated disputes.

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Guilford, Connecticut

One common resolution for boundary disputes is a court re-drawing the boundaries to fit with what the assumptions that the neighbors were operating under before the error was discovered. This usually happens when both parties were, for many years, aware of the actual property boundaries, and did nothing about it. Furthermore, if the neighbor who has been encroaching onto the other neighbor's land has made costly improvements thereto, this weighs in favor of that neighbor, since changing the property lines would impose significant hardship on that neighbor.

A court may do the opposite, and decide to enforce the property lines as they're drawn. This will necessarily 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 actions 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 likely change the property lines to reflect this prior use, to prevent that neighbor from being rewarded for "sitting on his rights."

In Guilford, Connecticut courts have many options when it comes to resolving title disputes. However, these disputes are usually controlled by some fairly perplexing (and old) legal principles. While they're generally built around policies that most people would find to be quite fair and reasonable, their application can be nearly impenetrable, even for some lawyers.

Without delving into the specifics too much, courts usually 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 prevail in a dispute like this, a buyer will generally 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 Guilford, Connecticut Attorney Do?

Real property disputes frequently involve very old legal principles that can even confound lawyers who aren't experts in real estate law. For that reason, you should almost always hire an expert Guilford, Connecticut real estate attorney, who will assist you navigate these murky legal waters.

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Life in Guilford

Guilford was settled in 1639 and is one of the oldest cities in the state of Connecticut. It is located in New Haven County and has a population of about 22,000. The city is noted for its collection of historic homes. The Henry Whitfield house in Guilford is the oldest dwelling structure in Connecticut and the oldest stone house in all of North America.

Currently Guilford is a great area to live and visit if you are looking for an old "green town" feel. The city is lively and hosts a mix of annual events such as the Guilford LobsterFest and the Guilford Fair. Guilford also has many town parks which perfect for such activities as jogging, bocce games, ice skating, and winter sports.

Historic places to visit in Guilford are numerous and provide people with a glimpse into early American settlement life. Some of these places are the Guilford Historic Town Center and the Comfort Starr House. The Guilford Green is the town's pride and center of activity for the community. Many of the city's most important events such as graduations are held there. It is also a great backdrop for photo sessions.

Lawyers in Guilford, Connecticut typically file their cases at the nearby New Haven County Courthouse. The court hears claims in civil, criminal, and family, traffic, and juvenile law. Guilford lawyers may be contacted for advice and representation in a wide range of legal matters.

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Guilford Boundary Dispute Lawyers and Guilford Title Attorneys

Title & Boundary Dispute Law in Connecticut

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Guilford, Connecticut