Mitigation of Strict Rules Governing Ejectment Claims Regarding Innocent Possessors of Adjacent Properties

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Private Law, Farabi Campus, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

2 M.A. In private Law, University of Judicial Sciences and Administrative Services, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Ownership is a foundational legal concept through which individuals may acquire comprehensive rights over property. It confers upon the owner the authority to exercise control, enjoy benefits, and exclude others. As such, the right to remove third parties from one's land is an inherent component of ownership. This premise underlies various legal actions, including eviction (khalʿ al-yad), recovery of possession, and claims for unlawful interference. The action for khalʿ al-yad is specific to immovable property and requires demonstration of the plaintiff's legal ownership and the defendant's unauthorized possession. Traditional jurisprudence in such claims does not consider factors such as intent, good or bad faith, mistake, or the possessor's knowledge of entitlement. The court's sole focus remains on establishing possession and the lack of lawful justification. When these conditions are 
satisfied, the judiciary is compelled to issue an eviction judgment and, where appropriate, order the demolition of any unauthorized constructions.
Methods
This study employs a descriptive-analytical approach to examine how the Single Article Act of 1979 differs from the general rules governing khalʿ al-yad (eviction claims) and what legal strategies it offers for moderating the rigid principles traditionally applied in such claims.
Findings
In practice, however, the strict application of such stringent rules—particularly those derived from the doctrines of ghasb (usurpation) or deemed usurpation—can produce inequitable consequences. This is especially true when the possessor acted under a mistaken belief or in good faith, for instance, due to municipal surveying errors or misidentification by contractors. In such circumstances, enforcing demolition orders may destroy substantial investments made honestly and in reliance upon erroneous assumptions. Thus, a departure from the rigid framework is warranted where good faith possession is evident. Recognizing this imperative, the Iranian legislature enacted in 1979 the Legal Bill on the Removal of Encroachment and Compensation for Damage to Immovable Property. This legislation provides an exceptional remedy and permits the judiciary to deviate from conventional eviction norms in favor of equitable treatment of innocent possessors.
Results
The statute establishes specific conditions under which courts may invoke such an equitable remedy:

The properties must be adjacent;
There must be encroachment or de facto usurpation of the neighboring land;
The possessor must have acted in good faith or been unaware of the encroachment;
The encroachment must be attributable to mistake;
The loss to the rightful owner must be minimal when compared with the damage likely to be sustained by the possessor if demolition is ordered.

When these criteria are satisfied, the judge must initiate a special procedure that balances the interests of both parties. In such cases, the encroached portion is deemed legally lost, and the defendant is ordered to deposit its value with the judiciary. Once payment is made, the court issues a judgment mandating compensation to the rightful owner and authorizing the correction of title deeds accordingly. This exceptional statutory mechanism represents a significant doctrinal shift toward equitable principles in property law. Furt her details of this Single Article Act, along with an analysis of relevant judicial rulings, are examined in this article.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Quran
Nahjul Balagha
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