Kaufer v. Beccaris

584 A.2d 357, 401 Pa. Super. 1, 1991 Pa. Super. LEXIS 5
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 4, 1991
DocketNo. 3267
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 584 A.2d 357 (Kaufer v. Beccaris) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kaufer v. Beccaris, 584 A.2d 357, 401 Pa. Super. 1, 1991 Pa. Super. LEXIS 5 (Pa. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

WIEAND, Judge:

John Beccaris has conducted a retail shoe business since 1946 on lots Nos. 1 to 5 South Main Street, Plains, Luzerne County, and has owned the real estate since 1956. On adjoining land at Nos. 7 to 11 Main Street, a retail hardware business, known as Kaufer Brothers, has been conducted since 1929. These lots were purchased in 1953 by Simon and Frieda Kaufer, husband and wife; and Frieda Kaufer, [3]*3following her husband’s death, continues to be record owner of the land. The hardware business has been conducted by her son, Irvin, and his wife, Carolyn, since 1954 pursuant to a lease of the store premises. The testimony by Irvin Kaufer was that as long as he could remember, since at least 1940, trucks of all sizes have used the rear of the Becarris property for the purpose of making deliveries from Carey Avenue to the rear of the Kaufer store. The instant action was brought to enjoin interference with the continued use of a prescriptive easement for the purpose of making such deliveries.1 The trial court found that the use of the servient tenement had been open, notorious, continuous and uninterrupted for more than twenty-one years but concluded that it had not been adverse and hostile. Therefore, the court denied the requested relief. The Kaufers appealed. They contend the trial court’s refusal to grant relief was the result of an error of law.

This court’s right of review, of course, is limited. In Purdy v. Zaver, 398 Pa.Super. 190, 580 A.2d 1127 (1990), the Court said:

“Appellate review of equity matters is limited to a determination of whether the chancellor committed an error of law or abused his discretion. The scope of review of a final decree in equity is limited and will not be disturbed unless it is unsupported by the evidence or demonstrably capricious.” Hostetter v. Hoover, 378 Pa.Super. 1, 6-7, 547 A.2d 1247, 1250 (1988), allocatur denied, 523 Pa. 642, 565 A.2d 1167 (1989), quoting Rosen v. Rittenhouse Towers, 334 Pa.Super 124, 129, 482 A.2d 1113, 1116 (1984) (citations omitted). The test employed is not whether the appellate court would have reached the same result as the trial judge, who heard and saw the evidence, but whether a judicial mind, on due consideration of the evidence, could reasonably have reached the conclusion of the trial judge. See: Yuhas v. Schmidt, 434 Pa. 447, 454, 258 [4]*4A.2d 616, 619-620 (1969); Masciantonio Will, 392 Pa. 362, 367, 141 A.2d 362, 365 (1958). See also: 16 Std.Pa. Prac.2d § 91:155.

Id., 398 Pa.Superior Ct. at 196-197, 580 A.2d at 1130-31. See also: Waltimyer v. Smith, 383 Pa.Super. 291, 556 A.2d 912 (1989); Walley v. Iraca, 360 Pa.Super. 436, 520 A.2d 886 (1987).

To establish an easement by prescription, the party asserting the right must show use that is adverse, open, notorious, continuous, and uninterrupted for a period of twenty-one (21) years. Keefer v. Jones, 467 Pa. 544, 359 A.2d 735 (1976); Waltimyer v. Smith, supra; Burkett v. Smyder, 369 Pa.Super. 519, 535 A.2d 671 (1988); Walley v. Iraca, supra. Cf. Estojak v. Mazsa, 522 Pa. 353, 562 A.2d 271 (1989). These elements must be proven by clear and positive evidence. Farmers’ Northern Market Co. v. Gallagher, 392 Pa. 221, 139 A.2d 908 (1958); Pittsburgh & Lake Erie R. Co. v. Township of Stowe, 374 Pa. 54, 96 A.2d 892 (1953); Burkett v. Smyder, supra; Walley v. Iraca, supra; Adshead v. Sprung, 248 Pa.Super. 253, 375 A.2d 83 (1977).

The trial court determined that the Kaufers’ use of the easement had been open and continuous and had spanned a period of more than twenty-one (21) years. Since both Kaufer and Beccaris agree that Kaufer’s use of the easement was open, continuous, and uninterrupted, the evidence supports this finding, and it is unnecessary to discuss this aspect further. The trial court concluded, however, that the Kaufers had failed to sustain their burden of proving an easement by prescription because they failed to establish that their use was adverse to the rights of Beccaris. Instead, the court concluded that the Kaufers’ use was by indulgence on the part of Beccaris and, therefore, consensual. This was legally incorrect and requires that we reverse.

There is no evidence that Kaufer ever requested or received permission from Beccaris to use Beccaris’s land for the purpose of making deliveries to the rear of Kaufer’s store. Kaufer testified that inasmuch as he had always received deliveries in this manner he believed he had an [5]*5easement across his neighbor’s land. Beccaris testified that he did not give Kaufer express permission to cross his land but believed that his failure to object was the same as granting permission.

Proof of an open, notorious, continuous and uninterrupted use for the prescriptive period, without evidence to explain how it began, raises a presumption that it is adverse and under claim of right. See: Loudenslager v. Mosteller, 453 Pa. 115, 307 A.2d 286 (1973); Margoline v. Holefelder, 420 Pa. 544, 218 A.2d 227 (1966); Shinn v. Rosenberger, 347 Pa. 504, 32 A.2d 747 (1943); Plitt v. Cox, 43 Pa. 486 (1863); Pierce v. Cloud, 42 Pa. 102 (1862); Steel v. Yocum, 189 Pa.Super. 522, 151 A.2d 815 (1959); 12A P.L.E. Easements, § 61 (1985). Once this presumption is raised, the burden shifts to the owner of the servient tenement to show by affirmative proof that the use was by virtue of some license, indulgence, permission or agreement inconsistent with a claim of right by the other party. See: Walley v. Iraca, supra. Thus, in Loudenslager v. Mosteller, supra, the Supreme Court said:

“[Wjhere one uses an easement whenever he sees fit, without asking leave, and without objection, it is adverse, and an uninterrupted adverse enjoyment for twenty-one years is a title which cannot be afterwards disputed. Such enjoyment, without evidence to explain how it began, is presumed to have been in pursuance of a full and unqualified grant. The owner of the land has the burden of proving that the use of the easement was under some license, indulgence, or special contract inconsistent with a claim of right by the other party.”

Id., 453 Pa. at 117, 307 A.2d at 287, quoting Garrett v. Jackson, 20 Pa. 331, 335-36 (1853). See also: Stiegelman v. Pennsylvania Yacht Club, Inc., 432 Pa. 111, 246 A.2d 116 (1968); Wampler v. Shenk, 404 Pa. 395, 172 A.2d 313 (1961); Mather-Klock, Inc. v.

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Bluebook (online)
584 A.2d 357, 401 Pa. Super. 1, 1991 Pa. Super. LEXIS 5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kaufer-v-beccaris-pasuperct-1991.