Trespass to Land

Trespass to land requires intentional physical invasion of plaintiff’s real property.

Representative cases

• Medeika v. Watts 2008 ME 163 · Supreme Judicial Court of Maine
• Kinderhaus North LLC v. Karl Nicols 2024 ME 34 · Supreme Judicial Court of Maine
• Rosenblatt v. Exxon Co., U.S.A. 642 A.2d 180 · Court of Appeals of Maryland

Related Intentional Torts rules

• Intentional Torts: IntentIntent exists when defendant acts with purpose or knowledge to a substantial certainty that harm will occur.
• Battery: ElementsBattery requires intent, harmful or offensive contact, and that contact be with plaintiff's person.
• Assault: ElementsAssault is intentional act creating reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact.
• False ImprisonmentFalse imprisonment is intentional confinement without lawful privilege and without consent.
• Intentional Infliction of Emotional DistressIIED requires extreme and outrageous conduct intended or recklessly causing severe emotional distress.
• Trespass to ChattelsTrespass to chattels involves intentional interference with another’s possessory rights causing actual harm.
• ConversionConversion requires intentional dominion or control over chattel that seriously interferes with plaintiff’s rights.
• Consent DefenseConsent bars liability when plaintiff voluntarily and knowingly agrees to defendant’s conduct.

Part of Torts on Core Legal Rules — foundational MBE-tested principles with primary-source citations.