Glossary
Easement
A right to use part of someone else's land for a specific purpose, such as access, drainage, or utilities.
Also called: right of way
An easement does not transfer ownership. It grants a defined right of use, and it usually runs with the land, binding later owners whether or not they were aware of it when they bought.
Easements arise in several ways: by express grant in a deed, by long-standing use, by necessity where a parcel would otherwise be landlocked, or by implication from how land was previously used. The way an easement arose affects both its scope and how it can be ended.
Most disputes are about scope rather than existence: whether a right of access permits construction traffic, who maintains the surface, and whether the use has expanded beyond what was granted.
General information about Tennessee law, not legal advice. How this applies depends on the facts of your matter.
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