LAND LAW — Proof of Title — Exclusive Possession Raises Presumption of Ownership Requiring Proof of Better Title to Dispossess

Exclusive possession presumptively confers ownership against all but the true owner. The person seeking to dispossess must prove better title. The principle applies to land law. The rule protects long-term possessors from speculative claims. The burden of proof shifts to the claimant to establish superior…