Loughman v. Couchman

47 N.W.2d 152, 242 Iowa 885, 1951 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 338
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedApril 4, 1951
Docket47793
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 47 N.W.2d 152 (Loughman v. Couchman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Loughman v. Couchman, 47 N.W.2d 152, 242 Iowa 885, 1951 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 338 (iowa 1951).

Opinion

Garfield, J.

In 1912 Loren Johnston who then owned the farm now owned by defendants sold a parcel thereof, 200 feet east and west by 160 feet north and south, to Fred Loughman, plaintiff’s deceased husband. The farm abuts the Loughman tract on the north, west and south. On the east is a north-and-south highway between the farm and the village of Sewal. Loughman bought the ground as a site for a home which he built in 1912 on the south half thereof and occupied until his death in April 1948. Plaintiff continued to occupy the property as owner.

Sewage from the septic tank near the Loughman house has always been carried through a four-inch tile to a surface outlet in an open field on the adjoining farm about 570 feet from plaintiff’s house. Loren Johnston orally consented to construction and use of the drain. In 1926 Johnston conveyed the farm. From 1930 to 1941 it was owned by the Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa from whom defendants Couchman and wife purchased in 1941.

Plaintiff sold the north half of her tract to one Miller in 1948 as a site for a home which he built that fall and winter. The deed to Miller, however, was not made until April 20, 1949. By arrangement with plaintiff, sewage from the septic tank near the Miller house was carried through an underground drain into the drain on the Loughman ground and to the open outlet on defendants’ farm. Plaintiff’s deed to Miller conveys “the permanent and continuous right to connect -[with] a sewer outlet now on” plaintiff’s property.

Defendant Couchman objected to outletting on his farm the added sewer water from the Miller house and in March 1949 stopped up the drain about 70 feet above its outlet. This caused sewer water to back into plaintiff’s basement. Plaintiff then brought this suit to establish an easement in the drain and enjoin defendants from interference therewith. The obstruction in the drain was removed in April 1949, as we understand, pursuant to *888 a temporary writ of injunction. Trial in May 1950 resulted in a decree for plaintiff from which defendants have appealed.

Defendants concede plaintiff has the right to carry sewage from her house through the drain to the outlet on defendants’ farm, but deny the right to use the drain for sewage from the Miller house. Plaintiff asserts the right to use the drain for sewage from the Miller house as well as from her own. The parties also differ as to the nature of plaintiff’s right in the drain. Plaintiff contends it is an easement. Defendants maintain it is only a license. Although it may not be necessary to determine this question of easement or license in view of defendants’ concession above referred to, it is extensively argued and we are not disposed to dodge it.

In general, an easement may be created in three ways: (1) express written grant, (2) prescription, and (3) implication. McKeon v. Brammer, 238 Iowa 1113, 1119, 29 N.W.2d 518, 522, 174 A. L. R. 1229, 1234; Restatement of Property, Servitudes, chapter 38, pages 2921 et seq.

It is conceded there was no written grant here so the first method may be eliminated. An easement by implication arises only where the use antedates the separation of title. That is, where the owner of an entire tract uses it so a part derives from the other a benefit or advantage of a continuous, permanent and apparent nature, and sells the part in favor of which such benefit or advantage exists, an easement, being necessary to the reasonable enjoyment of the property granted, will pass to the grantee by implication. See Marshall Ice Co. v. LaPlant, 136 Iowa 621, 629, 111 N.W. 1016, 12 L.R.A., N.S., 1073; Dyer v. Knowles, 227 Iowa 1038, 1043, 289 N.W. 911; McKeon v. Brammer, supra; 28 C.J.S., Easements, section 31; 17 Am. Jur., Easements, sections 33, 34; annotation 58 A.L.R. 824; Restatement of Property, Servitudes, sections 474-476.

An easement did not arise by implication here since the drain was not constructed or used by Johnston before he sold the tract to plaintiff’s deceased husband. If Johnston had built and used the house and drain, then sold to Loughman, an easement might have arisen by implication. That the deed from Johnston to Loughman for some unexplained reason was not made until June *889 25,' 1915, is unimportant. It clearly appears Loughman purchased the ground from Johnston before the sewer or house was built in 1912. *

Defendants argue no easement arose by prescription because the drain was constructed with Johnston’s consent and permissive use cannot ripen into an easement. Loughmans’ use of the sewer was not merely permissive in the sense that it might be prohibited at pleasure. It was of right. We have frequently held under analogous circumstances there may be an easement by prescription where the original use was with consent of the servient owner and use as of right has continued for more than ten years. McKeon v. Brammer, supra, 238 Iowa 1113, 1119, 29 N.W.2d 518, 521, 174 A.L.R. 1229, 1233; Morse v. Rhinehart, 195 Iowa 419, 192 N.W. 142; Pascal v. Hynes, 170 Iowa 121, 125, 152 N.W. 26, 27; Hatton v. Cale, 152 Iowa 485, 132 N.W. 1101.

If it were true that Loughmans’ use of the drain was merely permissive while Johnston owned the farm, such permissive use became adverse upon his transfer of the farm in 1926. 28 C.J.S., Easements, section 14d(2), page 656. See also 17 Am. Jur., Easements, section 67. There is no evidence that any owner of the farm informed Loughman he might continue to use the drain as a mere favor nor of any prohibition of its use before Couchman obstructed the drain in 1949.

During the intervening twenty-three years the Lough-mans used the drain as of right and until Mr. Loughman died in 1948 he went on the farm about every three months to keep the outlet in condition. There was a clear assertion of the right to use the drain and notice thereof to the owners of the farm. In all, the Loughmans used the drain as of right and maintained its outlet for some thirty-six years after having purchased the ground from Johnston and constructed the drain and their home, doubtless in reliance upon their right to use the drain. We think such right amounts to an easement by prescription.

However, we believe plaintiff’s easement is not of such extent as entitles her or Miller to discharge sewage from the Miller house as well as from plaintiff’s into the drain that outlets on defendants’ farm.

There is a scarcity of decisions bearing on this point, at least *890 as to an easement of the kind here involved. It is the general rule where there is an easement of way appurtenant to a tenement that a subsequent owner of part of the tenement has the right to use the way as appurtenant to his part of the land. Annotations 8 A.L.R. 1368, 34 A.L.R. 972. Not many decisions relating to ways consider the question whether use by a subsequent owner of part of the dominant estate increases the burden upon the servient estate.

Brossart v. Corlett, 27 Iowa 288, 297, has to do with an easement in a way created by express grant. The claim to an extension of the easement was denied. The opinion states: “* * * an easement appurtenant to an estate is so to every part thereof, whatever the subdivision at the time or subsequently.

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

Related

Heald v. Glentzer
491 N.W.2d 191 (Court of Appeals of Iowa, 1992)
Riverton Farms, Inc. v. Castle
441 N.W.2d 405 (Court of Appeals of Iowa, 1989)
Maisel v. Gelhaus
416 N.W.2d 81 (Court of Appeals of Iowa, 1987)
National Properties Corp. v. Polk County
386 N.W.2d 98 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1986)
Wiege v. Knock
293 N.W.2d 146 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1980)
Anderson v. Yearous
249 N.W.2d 855 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1977)
Tamm, Inc. v. Pildis
249 N.W.2d 823 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1976)
Schwenker v. Sagers
230 N.W.2d 525 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1975)
Hagenson v. United Telephone Company of Iowa
209 N.W.2d 76 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1973)
Ferrari v. Meeks
181 N.W.2d 201 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1970)
Wymer v. Dagnillo
162 N.W.2d 514 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1968)
Simonsen v. Todd
154 N.W.2d 730 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1967)
Farmers & Mechanics Sav. Bank of Mpls. v. Campbell
141 N.W.2d 917 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1966)
Mahlstadt v. City of Indianola
100 N.W.2d 189 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1959)
Phillips v. Griffin
98 N.W.2d 822 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1959)
Bray v. Hardy
82 N.W.2d 671 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1957)
Williams v. Northern Natural Gas Company
136 F. Supp. 514 (N.D. Iowa, 1955)
Wilbur v. City of Council Bluffs
73 N.W.2d 112 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1955)
Halsrud v. Brodale
72 N.W.2d 94 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1955)
Webb v. Arterburn
67 N.W.2d 504 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1954)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
47 N.W.2d 152, 242 Iowa 885, 1951 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/loughman-v-couchman-iowa-1951.