Isaac Abram Anderson's Answers

Can adverse posession be established based on a previous owner's use of the land?

The information already provided is sound. I would only add that the period of time for adverse possession in Washington is 10 years, or 7 years if property taxes for the contested property are also consistently paid by the adverse possessor.

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Is there any recourse against a fraudulent filing of a temporary protection order and notice of hearing (unlawful harassment)

From what I can tell from your explanation above, it does not sounds like this protection order lawsuit affects the ongoing eviction. The hearing on whether the protection order should be granted will be like a trial. That means you will have to call witnesses and present evidence demonstrating that the allegations are false. It is highly unlikely that you will get a judge to impose penalties unless the evidence is extremely compelling and demonstrates the allegations are frivolous. Don't...

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Can you quit claim property and pay excise taxes without recording the transfer of ownership?

It is generally not wise to delay recording your deed because you run the risk that another person could purchase the property and record their deed before your deed is recorded. You also run a heightened risk of increased family discord if other family members are not aware of the transfer and expected the property would be transferred to them in accordance with a Will. Heightened family discord means a higher chance of future litigation. With regard to excise tax, no tax is owed if the...

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What rights do I have since finding out that my neighbor's utilities cut across my land and not on the easement?

Mr. Myers is correct. Your neighbors might be able to claim a prescriptive easement allowing them to keep the utilities in their current location. Among other things, they would have to demonstrate 10 years of uninterrupted use without permission. It's not easy to get a prescriptive easement, but I would need more details before I could give you a better answer. Regarding whether you should give an express easement to your neighbors or move your garage, it depends on how strong your...

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My real estate agent advised me to sign an incomplete form 17C. The basement leaks. Is she liable?

I agree with the other commentator. Your agent may very well be legally responsible here.

What steps would a squatter take to get legal ownership of land

Your friend needs to seriously consider the morality of moving into property not hers and then trying to obtain legal ownership. That property is owned by someone else. In any event, in general one can obtain title to property by treating it as his or her own in an open manner for a continuous period of 10 years. Under certain circumstances, 7 years is sufficient.

Where do I file my small claims suit?

If the incident occurred here in Kitsap County, you can file your small claims action in Kitsap County District Court.

We hired a supposedly licensed and bonded contractor to paint the exterior of our home. Unlike his now defunct website and flier

I heartily agree with what Mr. Foster says. Your contractor shouldn't have any rights to collect anything from you, and you have a lot of options to pursue your contractor in court for compensation.

We have an existing easement (road) that our neighbor put a fence partially on, is that legal?

Based on the information you are providing, no, it would not be legal for your neighbor to block your easement. This is true even if the obstruction doesn't completely cut off your access. If this is an ongoing concern for you, we could issue a letter to the neighbor explaining the unlawful nature of the activity, but first we would need to lean more about the situation. I hope this is helpful.

Collecting a judgment, judgment creditor attaching judgment to land in WA state

Yes, judgments become an automatic lien on real property owned by the debtor. You don't need to do anything to make this happen, as a title report on the property should automatically disclose the judgment as a lien. However, it is permissible to record a certified copy of the judgment against the title records of the property, if you are so inclined. I hope this is helpful.