Devoted to Corporate Attorneys, Corporate Lawyers, and Corporate Counsel

The following is not meant to be legal advice.

For the attorney practicing real property, he/she may want to read up on neighbor laws in order to assist in disputes on troublesome trees, stray cats, and traveling garbage.

One frequently asked question is whether someone can trim the trees of a neighbor.  Usually a person has the legal right to trim tree branches up to the property line, but not destroy the tree.  What if the tree owner does not trim the tree him/herself?  Tough luck it seems, unless someone wants to go through the trouble of suing a neighbor.  A tree about to fall on another person’s house is a nuisance because it is unreasonable for the neighbor to keep it and it interferes with use and enjoyment of property.  Suing a neighbor may lead to poor relations. 

One source of neighbor laws is Nolo’s Neighbor Law:  Fences, Trees, Boundaries & Noise by Cora Jordan.