ABA Family Legal Guide

Home Ownership

Managing Neighborhood Problems

Trees

What's the law regarding trees?

Trees can cause as much contention between neighbors as yapping dogs, whether they block people's view, crack their foundation, or drop debris on their driveway. The general rule is that a tree whose trunk stands entirely on the land of one person belongs to that person; if the trunk stands partly on the land of two or more people, it usually belongs to all the property owners.

Someone who cuts down, removes, or harms a tree without permission owes the tree's owner money for compensation.