Legal Memorandum: Easement Related Cases in CO

Issue: Under Colorado law, is an easement void or voidable by non-signing property owners; alternatively, can a non-signing property owner with knowledge of the easement ratify it by his/her actions?

While the Colorado case law is not precisely on point, Colorado cases lead to secondary authorities that address the issue.

·                     Sinclair Transp. Co. v. Sandberg, No. 13CA1235, 2014 COA 76M, 2014 Colo. App. LEXIS 1127 (Colo. Ct. App. Jun. 5, 2014), cert. denied, Larson v. Sinclair Transp. Co., No. 14SC603, 2015 Colo. LEXIS 451 (Colo. May 26, 2015) (en banc) (discussing standing and assignability of easements).

·                     Huber v. Kenna, 205 P.3d 1158 (Colo. 2009) (holding statute requires that all tenants in common agree to the creation of a conservation easement).

·                     Campbell v. Summit Plaza Assocs., 192 P.3d 465 (Colo. Ct. App. 2008) cert. denied, 2008 Colo. LEXIS 938 (Colo. Sep. 2, 2008) (setting forth requirements for easement by necessity).

·                     Lobato v. Taylor, 71 P.3d 938 (Colo. 2002) (discussing implied easements created by prescription, estoppel, or prior use and citing to Restatement).

·                     Riddell v. Ewell, 929 P.2d 30 (Colo. Ct. App. 1996) (holding strangers to instrument creating easement cannot interfere with right of land owner to exercise full dominion over his property and easement holder has right consistent only with that granted by easement).

·                     Title Guaranty Co. v. Harmer, […]

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