An easement grants what?

• A. Ownership of the land
• B. Exclusive possession
• C. The right to use a portion of another's land for a specific purpose
• D. An interest in minerals

Answer: (C)

An easement is a non-possessory interest in land that gives a person the right to use a portion of someone else’s property for a specific purpose. It does not transfer ownership of the land, and the owner (the servient tenement) still holds title and can use the land in ways that don’t interfere with the easement. It also doesn’t grant exclusive possession, so the easement holder can’t block the owner from using the rest of the property beyond what the easement allows. Mineral rights are a separate type of interest dealing with subsurface rights, not the right to use surface land for a particular purpose. Easements can be created by agreement, by necessity, or by prior use, and they run with the land, binding future owners. A common example is a right of way for a neighbor to cross the property or a utility company’s right to install and maintain lines.