Evans v. Shephard

142 N.E. 730, 81 Ind. App. 147, 1924 Ind. App. LEXIS 39
Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided February 21, 1924·No. No. 11,706·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

Nichols, J.

This was an action by appellee for a mandatory injunction against appellants to require the removal of certain alleged obstructions extending beyond the wall of a certain building adjoining appellee’s lands, the closing of certain windows, doors and openings in such wall, and the removal of certain permanent structures and obstructions extending from said appellants’ building onto the lands of appellee.

The theory of the complaint is that the use of such windows, doors and openings for ingress and egress to and from the appellants’ building upon and over the lands of the appellee, and the maintaining of such obstructions upon and adjoining said wall of appellants’ building constitutes a nuisance and a continuing trespass upon the appellee’s lands and pre[149] vents her free use of the same. That it is averred that such continued trespass, if uninterrupted, would ripen into an easement, does not in bur opinion change the theory of the complaint.

Appellants filed answer in five paragraphs, the first in general denial; the second alleging the construction of the wall involved, pursuant to the terms of a parol license, and that appellee had full notice and knowledge of the construction thereof as it was being built, stood by and without objection, saw that appellants were expending large sums of money, and made no objections until long after the wall and building were completed; the third, the same facts practically as the second paragraph, with the additional averments that the open space on the west end of appellee’s lot was an open space used by the public generally for parking autos and other vehicles, and that the use of such open space by appellants was'not different from that of the public generally; the fourth avers facts practically the same as the third paragraph and, in addition thereto, that the parol license was granted by appellee’s agent; the fifth, that the appellants constructed the wall in question under the terms of a written contract authorizing the construction thereof.

The cause was tried by the court, and the court rendered its finding in favor of appellee and rendered judgment in her favor that appellants and each of them be required and compelled to close all of the doors, windows and transoms constructed by them in the north wall of their said building, and to restore said wall to a solid wall, by filling up such openings with brick and mortar in a good and workmanlike manner so that the same will conform and correspond to the adjoining part of said wall; to remove that part of the stone windowsills which project north and beyond the line of said wall, to fill up two excavations dug by them on the [150] premises of appellee and used by them in connection with the basement of their building; to remove the water drain and downspout attached to their building and projecting beyond the north line of said wall, all on or before July 1, 1923, and that they be thereafter perpetually enjoined from maintaining such trespasses.

The errors relied upon for reversal are the action of the court in overruling appellants’ motion for a new trial, and in overruling appellants’ motion to modify judgment.

The motion for a new trial presents that the decision of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence, and that it is contrary to law.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Evans v. Shephard, 142 N.E. 730, 81 Ind. App. 147, 1924 Ind. App. LEXIS 39 (Ind. Ct. App. 1924).

142 N.E. 730 (Evans v. Shephard) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Selvia v. Reitmeyer
295 N.E.2d 869 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1973)
Harris v. Krekler
46 N.E.2d 267 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1943)
Mary Jane Stevens Co. v. First Nat. Bldg. Co.
57 P.2d 1099 (Utah Supreme Court, 1936)