Minor v. Minor, 742 S.E.2d 790

Plaintiffs Grover and Caroleen Minor hold title to 23.72 acres at 7949 Valley Falls Road, Greensboro, since 1972, surrounding an improved eight-acre area.
Defendant Sandra Minor lived on the property with Tyson Minor from around 1984 and made substantial improvements without plaintiffs' permission or contribution.
After Tyson separated from Sandra in 2001, she remained on the property; plaintiffs later sought summary ejectment, and obtained judgment in 2010.
Sandra counterclaimed for adverse possession, asserting ownership of the entire parcel or a portion thereof.
Pretrial order limited the jury issue to whether Sandra was entitled to the Property by adverse possession; evidence showed she claimed the entire tract.
At trial Sandra sought an instruction to allow adverse possession of a portion of the parcel, but the court refused; the jury was instructed on possession of the whole property.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Whether the trial court properly refused a portion-possession instruction	Minor argued defendant sought entire tract; instruction on part failed.	Minor contended she possessed only a portion under known lines and boundaries.	No reversible error; instruction on portion not required.

Wallin v. Rice, 232 N.C. 371 (1950) (adverse possession of area identified within another's deed)
Calhoun v. State Highway & Pub. Works Comm’n, 208 N.C. 424 (1935) (specific instruction required when correct and supported by evidence)
State v. Davis, 291 N.C. 1 (1976) (reversible error for failure to give proper instruction)
Bass v. Hocutt, 221 N.C. 218 (1942) (instruction standard and sufficiency of evidence considerations)
Dockery v. Hocutt, 357 N.C. 210 (2003) (boundaries and possession concepts in adverse possession)