JAMES O. OVERTON, ET AL. v. TERRY L. DAVIS, ET AL. (Tenn.Ct.App. November 29, 2007).
Landowners brought action against adjacent neighbors to establish boundary line. Following a bench trial, the court held that each side is entitled to approximately half of the disputed area. Landowners appeal from the trial court’s resolution of the boundary dispute. The neighbors agree with landowners’ assertion that the evidence does not support the line found by the trial court. The judgment of the trial court is vacated. This case is remanded for further proceedings.
Opinion may be found at:
http://www.tba2.org/tba_files/TCA/2007/overtonj_112907.pdf
"The construction of deeds and other instruments and documents and their legal effect as to boundaries is a question of law. What boundaries the grant or deed refers to is a question of law; where those boundaries are located on the face of the earth is a question of fact. If, therefore, the evidence concerning the location of the true boundary line between adjacent owners is conflicting, that issue is one of fact unless the legal construction of the deed or grant is such that the boundary is determined as a matter of law." Id. (citing 12 Am. Jur.2d Boundaries § 121 at 515 (1997) (footnotes omitted); see also Mitchell v. Chance, 149 S.W.3d 40, 45 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004).
