Taylor Thornton, III v. T.M.D. Farms, Incorporated

Syllabus

This appeal involves a complaint to quiet title and for injunctive relief and damagesstemming from a boundary line dispute. The defendant, a farming corporation, executed adeed containing a written description that included an 11.28-acre area of land which liesalong the southern border of its property. The plaintiffs became aware of the deed andfiled this action, alleging that they owned the 11.28 acres at issue. Both parties claimed tohave paid taxes on the disputed area for many years. The plaintiffs had their propertysurveyed, and the surveyor determined that they owned the disputed area. The farm hadits property surveyed twice. Those surveyors agreed the farm owned the disputed area.The chancery court found that both parties had paid taxes on the disputed area for at leastthe preceding 20 years. The chancery court also determined that the surveys provided bythe defendant farm accurately reflected the boundary line at issue and found it owned thedisputed area. The court also made an alternative holding that the farm had acquired thedisputed property by adverse possession. The plaintiffs appeal. We affirm.