In an easement, what are the servient and dominant estates?

• A. Servient estate is the land burdened by the easement.
• B. Dominant estate is the land burdened by the easement.
• C. Servient estate is the land free of the easement.
• D. Dominant estate is the land subject to the easement and benefits from it.

Answer: (A)

An easement grants a limited right to use someone else’s land without transferring ownership. The key idea is that one parcel bears the burden of the easement while another parcel benefits from it. The land burdened by the easement is called the servient estate, and the land that benefits from the easement is the dominant estate. The owner of the servient estate must tolerate the use and may still use their land in other ways, but cannot obstruct the easement. The dominant estate owns or uses the land in a way that relies on that right.

So, the servient estate is the land burdened by the easement, which aligns with the chosen statement.