Havelock Title Lawyers | Title Attorneys in NC

Title & Boundary Dispute Law in North Carolina

Sometimes, neighbors will find out that their use of their land (or what they thought was their land) is not reflected in the actual property lines on record. Obviously, this can create a problem.

In a seemingly-ideal situation, the neighbors will choose to ignore this new revelation, and go on as they always have. Of course, this doesn't happen frequently, and might have consequences down the road, including title eventually changing to reflect the perceived property lines, without the choice of either neighbor.

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 Havelock, North Carolina, 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 Havelock, North Carolina

One way to resolve boundary disputes is to simply re-draw the property lines to reflect what the neighbors thought they were all along. When this happens, nobody's situation changes, and it's usually considered a neutral result (causing no significant loss or gain to either party). This is often done if both of the neighbors knew about the actual property lines for many years, and didn't do anything about it. A court might also take this course of action if enforcing the property lines would impose a substantial hardship on one of the parties, not outweighed by the overall benefits of doing so.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why a court might decide to enforce the property lines as the records indicate. If one neighbor knew about the discrepancy, and hid it from the other neighbor (presumably because the neighbor with the knowledge of the discrepancy benefited from it), a court will, of course, not reward this kind of dishonesty, and will decide against that neighbor. On the other hand, if the neighbor whose land would be expanded by enforcing the "real" property boundaries knew this fact, and took no action for many years, a court will probably not be receptive if he or she suddenly tries to enforce them. This is referred to as "sitting on one's rights," and courts will not reward this, either. If you have a legal right, you're expected to make efforts to vindicate it as soon as possible. If you don't, a court will typically say "I guess it wasn't that important to you if you waited 10 years to bring this to our attention. Next case."

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

Usually, the person who records the deed first will be the one who takes ownership. Of course, this will only be if they had no reason to know about the other deeds).

What Can A Havelock, North Carolina Attorney Do?

Real property disputes often 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 Havelock, North Carolina real estate attorney, who will help you navigate these murky legal waters.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

(where you need legal help)

Can't find a category?

Life in Havelock

Havelock, population 22,000, is located in Craven County in the state of North Carolina. It is one of the state's more quickly growing cities, as it is the second largest in the county. It was originally founded as a railroad station.

Havelock is best known for its connection with the United States military. The city is home to the largest Marine Corps air base on the East Coast, known locally as "Cherry Point". Also, the city is named after Sir Henry Havelock, who was a British military officer operating in India during the 1850's.

Today the town is supported by a bustling economy and is an ideal place for both residents and visitors. The city is served by a fine education system and has many facilities for leisure and recreation purposes. Visitors to the city can inquire at the Havelock Tourist Event Center to receive an in-depth guide to activities in the Havelock.

If you have a legal issue, an attorney in Havelock, North Carolina can be of great assistance. Havelock lawyers handle variety of legal claims and are available for representation and advice.

Find a Lawyer

that specializes in your area of need

Real Estate Attorneys

in other North Carolina cities and towns

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Nicholas M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Golden, CO

Carl M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Seattle, WA

David A.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Walnut Creek, CA

Choose Your Legal Category:

Choose Your Legal Category:

LegalMatch Resources

Havelock Boundary Dispute Lawyers and Havelock Title Attorneys

Title & Boundary Dispute Law in North Carolina

Possible Outcomes of Boundary and Title Disputes in Havelock, North Carolina