Fucked up legal news of the day:
http://www.denverpost.com/harsanyi/ci_7501264
Many Western US states have laws that allow trespassers to legally take over someone else's land. This is the legal doctrine of ADVERSE POSSESSION.
If you own vacant land (hoping to develop it later), read up on this or you might get legally 0WN3D like the couple in the news story above.
Here's more background info on ADVERSE POSSESSION:
http://real-estate-law.freeadvice.co...possession.htm
Normally, the legal requirements for the land user are:
The possession must be open for all to see.
The possession must be exclusive to him or her (e.g., the fence in the above example, a driveway, road, etc.)
The possession must be hostile to the actual owner of the land.
To gain title to land through adverse possession requires strict compliance with the law, but can have dramatic impact upon land ownership rights.
(Some states require that the trespasser pay taxes on the land or demonstrate some sort of otherwise legal compliance)