What is meant by "adverse possession"?

The correct answer is that "adverse possession" refers to a legal doctrine allowing a person to claim ownership of land after continuous and open use under certain conditions. This concept is rooted in the idea that if an individual occupies and uses someone else's land openly, continuously, and without permission for a statutory period, they may acquire legal title to that property.

To establish a claim of adverse possession, several key factors usually need to be demonstrated: the use must be actual (the claimant is physically using the land), continuous (the use is without interruption for the statutory period), exclusive (the claimant is not sharing possession with others), open and notorious (the use is visible and obvious, not secret), and adverse (without permission from the original owner). This doctrine serves a public policy purpose by encouraging landowners to use their property or lose it to those who are using it effectively.

This understanding clarifies why other options do not fit the definition of adverse possession. The process of legally evicting a tenant involves eviction laws and does not concern ownership claims. A contract for temporary land use denotes a lease or permissions rather than acquisition of title. Finally, ownership transfer through a quitclaim deed involves a specific form of conveyance that does not relate to the broader