Arizona Laws on Property Disputes Between Neighbors

Arizona Tree Damage Laws

In Arizona, if someone damages your tree, you can recover your actual damages (usually, what you paid for the tree or what it would cost to replace the tree). (To learn what you must prove in order to get actual damages, see Nolo's article When a Neighbor Damages or Destroys Your Tree.) In some states, specific laws allow you to recover additional damages if someone deliberately damages your tree. To find out whether Arizona has such a statute, check the table below. The table will also tell you the amount you can sue for (the number is usually represented as a multiple of your actual damages).

In addition, intentionally damaging a tree is a crime in some states and can result in arrest, jail, fines, and other penalties. Check the table below to find out if there's a Arizona criminal statute on causing intentional damage to a tree. If Arizona does not have such a law, general Arizona criminal statutes, such as those related to theft or property damage, may still apply. (To learn more about damages and criminal penalties in tree injury cases, see Nolo's article When a Neighbor Damages or Destroys Your Tree.)

Additional Damages and Criminal Penalties for
Intentional Damage to Trees in Arizona

Arizona Adverse Possession Laws

Under certain circumstances, a trespasser can come onto land, occupy it, and gain legal ownership of it. The legal term for this is "adverse possession." To qualify as adverse possession (and to get ownership of the property), the trespasser's occupation of the land must be:

• hostile (meaning without permission, though the definition can vary by state)
• actual (meaning physical occupation)
• open and notorious (meaning the possession is obvious to onlookers), and
• exclusive and continuous for a certain period of time.

The time period that the trespasser must have occupied the land varies by state. To find the time period in Arizona, see the table below. Arizona has three different time periods in which a trespasser can legally gain the land by occupying it. If the trespasser occupies the land for ten years, the trespasser can gain the right to the land. If a trespasser occupies the land for only three years but has a deed or document giving "color of title" to the property and has paid taxes on the property during this time period, the trespasser can gain the rights to the land. If a trespasser occupies a city lot for five years but has a deed or document giving "color of title" to the property and has paid taxes on the property during this time period, the trespasser can gain the rights to the lot.

For more information on the legal requirements for adverse possession, and how to prevent adverse possession if you are a landowner, see Nolo's article Adverse Possession: When Trespassers Become Owners.

You can find Arizona's adverse possession law in the table below. Use the statute below as a starting point, and continue reading the related statutes that follow. (To learn more about legal research, see Nolo's Laws and Legal Research section.)

Arizona Adverse Possession Laws

*If (deed) is listed, you must have a document or deed in order to make an adverse possession claim. If (taxes) is listed, you must have paid taxes on the property during this time period.

Arizona Boundary Fence Laws

A boundary fence is a fence that is located on or near a property line, though the exact definition can vary by state. Sometimes even a hedge can act as a boundary. To learn more about boundary fences, including how they are defined, when a neighbor is allowed to build a boundary fence, and who is responsible for repairs and maintenance, see Nolo's Fences and Neighbors FAQ. The State of Arizona does not have a specific law defining and regulating boundary fences, but there might be a local ordinance (in your city, county, or town) that has rules on boundary fences.

Arizona Right to Farm Laws

All states have enacted laws that exempt farmers and other agricultural operators from complying with run-of-the-mill nuisance laws -- laws that restrict certain kinds of noisy activity like operation of heavy machinery, or prohibit the use of pesticides, for example. States vary as to how "farming" is defined and how long the agricultural operation must be in existence in order to get protection under right to farm statutes. Some states also list specific things (for example, odor, noise, or dust) that don't constitute a legal nuisance when they're a byproduct of farming or agricultural activity. You can find Arizona's right to farm statute in the table below. (To learn more about right to farm statutes, see Nolo's article Rural Neighbors and the Right to Farm.)

For other Nolo articles on neighbor disputes involving adverse possessions and easements, see Adverse Possession: When Trespassers Become Property Owners and Easements: Overview.

To learn more about the property issues covered in this article and other disputes between landowners and neighbors, get Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries & Noise, by Cora Jordan and Emily Doskow (Nolo).