Kate Chatot

Parcel 141: a Decade Long Property Rights Litigation Chronicle Involving an Old Vermont Country Road Kate Chatot

In the 1700's, municipalities mapped roads in survey journals, yet many were never built - nor were they properly discontinued and remain public rights-of-way today. These rights-of-way have become the focus of several land disputes. Vermont is at the forefront to legislatively address this nationwide issue.

In Parcel 141, author Kate Chatot documents her personal experience with a decade long legal case involving a road with an unidentified status, prescriptive law and current property rights. This legal case evokes a strong sense of confusion, frustration, a sense of injustice, and ultimately justice. Parcel 141 confronts one with the virtue of patience and aptly imparts the lesson that the wheels of justice do grind, but slowly.