Economics
Elements of Adverse Possession
Quick fact
Adverse possession can transfer ownership of land from the true owner to a trespasser after a statutory period—often 10 to 20 years—without any compensation to the original owner, simply because the owner failed to take legal action.
Why this is interesting
You own your house, but what if a neighbor occasionally gardens in your backyard without permission? After enough time, the law might say that garden actually becomes their property. How can that be?