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Case No. 18-0613

Gene L. Franklin and Connie Johnson, Executors of the Fae Black Estate; Gene L. Franklin, Connie Johnson, Curtis L. Franklin, Julie Pedrick, Bruce Franklin, and Gregory S. Franklin
v.
Michael Johnston, Elizabeth Johnston, Steve Johnston, and Judith Yeager

Appellee

Gene L. Franklin and Connie Johnson, Executors of the Fae Black Estate; Gene L. Franklin, Connie Johnson, Curtis L. Franklin, Julie Pedrick, Bruce Franklin, and Gregory S. Franklin

Appellant

Michael Johnston, Elizabeth Johnston, Steve Johnston, and Judith Yeager

Attorney for the Appellee

Michael C. Vance

Attorney for the Appellant

Lucas C. Helling (until withdrawal) and Vanessa M.Y. Willman (until withdrawal)

Court of Appeals

Court of Appeals Opinion

Opinion Number:
18-0613
Date Published:
Jun 05, 2019
Summary

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Van Buren County, Randy S. DeGeest, Judge.  AFFIRMED ON APPEAL; REVERSED ON CROSS-APPEAL.  Considered by Vogel, C.J., and Vaitheswaran and Potterfield, JJ.  Opinion by Vogel, C.J.  (10 pages)

            Michael Johnston, Elizabeth Johnston, Steve Johnston, and Judith Yeager (the Johnstons) appeal, and Gene Franklin and Connie Johnson (the Franklins) cross-appeal, the district court’s ruling following a remand from our court.  The Johnstons assert the district court should have been granted them fee simple ownership of the dock and shoreline area near Michael Johnston’s home, rather than a prescriptive easement.  The Franklins filed a cross-appeal, and claim the district court should have restricted the size and location of the dock and the width of the shoreline.  OPINION HOLDS: We conclude the district court appropriately granted the Johnstons a prescriptive easement in the dock and shoreline.  Additionally, we order the boundaries of such easement be changed to conform to the Franklins’ requested specifications.

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