What is adverse possession?

Adverse possession is a legal term used to describe a situation in which a person who is not the legal owner of a piece of property takes possession and control of that property. In Alaska, to successfully claim adverse possession, a person must have been in possession of the property for seven yearscontinuously and openly, and must have acted as though they owned the property (such as paying taxes, keeping up with maintenance, and making improvements to the property). If these conditions are met, the claimant can file a claim in court and potentially obtain title to the property. In some cases, the rightful owner of the property may be able to take back the property without paying compensation to the claimant—provided they do so within three years of the claimant filing their claim.

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What is adverse possession?

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