Understanding Tree Law

Book excerpt: A treatise that is both informative and entertaining, Understanding Tree Law is the first in-depth treatment of this often contentious and confusing area of law. Written by the countrys leading expert in the litigation and mediation of tree and neighbor disputes, this handbook provides practitioners with a comprehensive explanation of all aspects of tree law, including view obstructions, damage from falling trees and limbs, nuisance from hazards, debris and roots, injury from tree failures, ownership versus encroachment, trespass and wrongful cutting of trees, and appraisal of trees that have been damaged or removed. Because its never about the trees, the author reveals an insiders perspective on tips and strategies for resolving clients matters by identifying, understanding, and defusing the psychological underpinnings that often plague these disputes. Beyond providing black letter law, Understanding Tree Law offers a unique approach toward problem solving, starting with the proposition that attorneys are first and foremost counselors at law. This socially responsible philosophy reminds us that law, like medicine, can and should be a healing profession.