My neighbor threatens to sue me

ripdog · #1 06-06-2005, 02:55 PM

Yesterday. He is in the process of subdividing his lot and has discovered that he has no valid ingress/egress easement. So he has his attorney throw together an Easement and Joint Maintenance Agreement. He handed it to me on Friday, I gave him comments on on Sunday. He flips out and threatens to sue if I don't sign by Monday. Hmmm...why is he pushing so hard? I check out public records on his property and find that he has taken out a $460,000 loan and used two of his properties for collateral, and the loan matures in less than 6 months. My property may or may not need an easement, but I won't run into a problem with it until I want to sell. Moral to the story--you reap what you sow. This guy is a belligerant prick and I have no desire to make his life any easier. Bring on the lawsuit!

Sponger15SB · #2 06-06-2005, 02:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]
He flips out and threatens to sue if I don't sign by Monday.

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Yeah a lawsuit will make things run much faster.

LALDAAS · #3 06-06-2005, 04:15 PM

I would take the day off of work on monday and set up a lawn chair on your front lawn where he can see you with a nice lemonade. I would sit there all day and smile.

(Also have a taser gun ready for any altercations)

kenberman · #4 06-06-2005, 04:20 PM

why don't you figure what this is worth to you ($'s) and make a deal with him?

Oski · #5 06-06-2005, 04:51 PM

Don't screw around ... get an attorney to evaluate this ASAP.

pokerstudAA · #6 06-06-2005, 04:52 PM

Sell him the easement for a small fee.

Dynasty · #7 06-06-2005, 04:55 PM

I don't understand what he would be suing you for. Perhaps I just don't understand property "stuff" well enough. But, how can you have any obligation to sign anything for him?

OtisTheMarsupial · #8 06-06-2005, 04:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Don't screw around ... get an attorney to evaluate this ASAP.

[/ QUOTE ]

slickpoppa · #9 06-06-2005, 04:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Yesterday. He is in the process of subdividing his lot and has discovered that he has no valid ingress/egress easement. So he has his attorney throw together an Easement and Joint Maintenance Agreement. He handed it to me on Friday, I gave him comments on on Sunday. He flips out and threatens to sue if I don't sign by Monday. Hmmm...why is he pushing so hard? I check out public records on his property and find that he has taken out a $460,000 loan and used two of his properties for collateral, and the loan matures in less than 6 months. My property may or may not need an easement, but I won't run into a problem with it until I want to sell.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm confused. Why would you need an easement? And on what grounds is he threatening to sue you? You don't have to agree to an easement if you dont want to. However, if he has been passing through your land for long enough without you protesting, an easement can become implied.

Kurn, son of Mogh · #10 06-06-2005, 05:00 PM

Depends on your state laws. In MA & RI, if the ingress has been used for over a certain amount of time without objection, that's "open and notorious use" and that creates an easment in and of itself.