Under Maine law, an individual who cuts down a tree or trees on another’s property without permission may be liable for timber trespass. Pursuant to 14 M.R.S. §7552, an individual may not cut down, destroy, damage or carry away any forest product or tree on land belonging to another without the property owner’s permission. Anyone that does, may be liable for the following: Read More
Co-ownership of property among family members or unrelated parties is common in Maine. While co-ownership can make property more affordable, problems often arise when the owners cannot agree on use of the property, how to allocate the costs associated with maintenance and/or improvements, or if/when to sell the property.
When co-owners cannot resolve property disputes amongst themselves, a co-owner has the right to seek a partition of the property through the court system. Depending on the form of partition action initiated, the court will order the physical division of the property (also known as a “statutory partition”) or order an equitable resolution, such as a timeshare or buyout (an “equitable partition”) to resolve the dispute. Read More
Under Maine law, a property boundary described as extending to or along “the shore” of a tidal area extends only to the high water mark, and not to the low…
Sea rise can shrink the size of oceanfront property as the oceanfront boundary creeps inland. It can similarly shrink any easement over the property. Depending on where the easement is…
You may have legitimate legal grounds to file a lawsuit to obtain a court order to prevent others from eroding your oceanfront land. Erosion can cause the boundary of your…
Waterfront properties may shrink as the ocean rises and the rising low tide moves their waterfront boundaries inland. Under Maine law, ownership of oceanfront land typically extends to the low…
Television has popularized the notion of older adults living together in a shared housing arrangement born out of financial or other necessity, but evolving into a mutually supportive environment, capped…
This common scenario plays out throughout all of Maine: a homeowner sets out to complete a major renovation to improve a water view and over the course of the remodel,…
We live in Vacationland, so you might be thinking of renting out your home or buying an investment property to offer short term rentals through a service like Airbnb, VRBO,…
In 2011, the Maine legislature enacted a number of notable changes to residential landlord/tenant law. The following is a summary of those changes, which became effective as of September 28,…