Michigan neighbours win $55,750 over lakefront work despite lacking any written easement in court dispute

Sharing access to a lakefront can seem like a straightforward arrangement between neighbours, particularly when both families contribute money and effort to build facilities. But an informal understanding can become a costly property dispute when ownership changes and the new owners refuse to honour the arrangement.

In Michigan, a couple who helped build a boardwalk and dock believing they could use them to reach a lake found themselves without a legally enforceable easement after the neighbouring property was sold.In its October 28, 2026, unpublished decision in Jeremy Leffring v. Mark Cahill, available on Justia, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld a $55,750 award to the couple for improvements they had made to the neighbouring property.

The court agreed that they had not established an enforceable easement because there was no written agreement. However, it found that they were entitled to compensation because they had not acted in bad faith when constructing and maintaining the boardwalk and dock.