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Florida Statute 95.361 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
F.S. 95.361 Case Law from Google Scholar
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The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C)

Title VIII
LIMITATIONS
Chapter 95
LIMITATIONS OF ACTIONS; ADVERSE POSSESSION
View Entire Chapter
F.S. 95.361
95.361 Roads presumed to be dedicated.
(1) When a road, constructed by a county, a municipality, or the Department of Transportation, has been maintained or repaired continuously and uninterruptedly for 4 years by the county, municipality, or the Department of Transportation, jointly or severally, the road shall be deemed to be dedicated to the public to the extent in width that has been actually maintained for the prescribed period, whether or not the road has been formally established as a public highway. The dedication shall vest all right, title, easement, and appurtenances in and to the road in:
(a) The county, if it is a county road;
(b) The municipality, if it is a municipal street or road; or
(c) The state, if it is a road in the State Highway System or State Park Road System,

whether or not there is a record of a conveyance, dedication, or appropriation to the public use.

(2) In those instances where a road has been constructed by a nongovernmental entity, or where the road was not constructed by the entity currently maintaining or repairing it, or where it cannot be determined who constructed the road, and when such road has been regularly maintained or repaired for the immediate past 7 years by a county, a municipality, or the Department of Transportation, whether jointly or severally, such road shall be deemed to be dedicated to the public to the extent of the width that actually has been maintained or repaired for the prescribed period, whether or not the road has been formally established as a public highway. This subsection shall not apply to an electric utility, as defined in s. 366.02(4). The dedication shall vest all rights, title, easement, and appurtenances in and to the road in:
(a) The county, if it is a county road;
(b) The municipality, if it is a municipal street or road; or
(c) The state, if it is a road in the State Highway System or State Park Road System,

whether or not there is a record of conveyance, dedication, or appropriation to the public use.

(3) The filing of a map in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county where the road is located showing the lands and reciting on it that the road has vested in the state, a county, or a municipality in accordance with subsection (1) or subsection (2) or by any other means of acquisition, duly certified by:
(a) The secretary of the Department of Transportation, or the secretary’s designee, if the road is a road in the State Highway System or State Park Road System;
(b) The chair and clerk of the board of county commissioners of the county, if the road is a county road; or
(c) The mayor and clerk of the municipality, if the road is a municipal road or street,

shall be prima facie evidence of ownership of the land by the state, county, or municipality, as the case may be.

(4) Any person, firm, corporation, or entity having or claiming any interest in and to any of the property affected by subsection (2) shall have and is hereby allowed a period of 1 year after the effective date of this subsection, or a period of 7 years after the initial date of regular maintenance or repair of the road, whichever period is greater, to file a claim in equity or with a court of law against the particular governing authority assuming jurisdiction over such property to cause a cessation of the maintenance and occupation of the property. Such timely filed and adjudicated claim shall prevent the dedication of the road to the public pursuant to subsection (2).
(5) This section does not apply to any facility of an electric utility which is located on property otherwise subject to this section.
History.s. 110, ch. 29965, 1955; ss. 23, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 23, ch. 74-382; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 3, ch. 88-168; s. 529, ch. 95-147; s. 54, ch. 2003-286; s. 14, ch. 2004-366; s. 4, ch. 2022-4.
Note.Former s. 337.31.

F.S. 95.361 on Google Scholar

F.S. 95.361 on Casetext

Amendments to 95.361


Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 95.361
Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

Current data shows no reason an arrest or criminal charge should have occurred directly under Florida Statute 95.361.



Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases from cite.case.law:

LEHMANN v. COCOANUT BAYOU ASSOCIATION, INC., 269 So. 3d 599 (Fla. App. Ct. 2019)

. . . See § 95.361, Fla. . . . See § 95.361, Fla. Stat. (1983). . . . See, e.g., § 95.361, Fla. Stat. (2018) ; § 341.51, Fla. . . .

E. CAMPBELL D. v. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,, 267 So. 3d 541 (Fla. App. Ct. 2019)

. . . judgment quieting title of the subject property to the Florida Department of Transportation under section 95.361 . . . The Department filed a counterclaim to quiet title, arguing that section 95.361, Florida Statutes, had . . . the Trial Court's Final Judgment An appellate court reviews a trial court's application of section 95.361 . . . Section 95.361(1), Florida Statutes, provides that when a road is constructed by a governmental entity . . . Section 95.361(2), Florida Statutes, provides that when a road is constructed by a nongovernmental entity . . .

PELICAN CREEK HOMEOWNERS, LLC, H. A. L. J. v. T. PULVERENTI E., 243 So. 3d 467 (Fla. App. Ct. 2018)

. . . . § 95.361, Fla. Stat. (2016). . . . Additionally, filing a map of the dedication and referring to section 95.361 serves as prima facie evidence . . . Here, the dedication on the plat map does not refer to section 95.361, and no other record evidence suggests . . . We recognize that section 95.361 references only roads and does not specifically include dedication of . . .

MATHERS v. WAKULLA COUNTY, a, 219 So. 3d 140 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2017)

. . . The Matherses argue, among other things, that the trial court erred in its application of section 95.361 . . . Because acceptance is not an element of statutory-presumed dedication under section 95.361, and section . . . 95.361 may be invoked by private parties, we agree and reverse the trial court’s judgment with respect . . . Stat¡ Because it was enacted so much later than section 95.361(1), no case law construes section- 95.361 . . . section 95.361 may be invoked by private parties. . . .

J. CHACKAL, S. v. STAPLES, M. D. J. M. a, 991 So. 2d 949 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2008)

. . . portion of a roadway that borders their property is owned by Palm Beach County pursuant to section 95.361 . . . that it had acquired title to the land at issue by statutory presumed dedication pursuant to section 95.361 . . . (1), Florida Statutes (2001), as follows: By operation of Florida Statutes Section 95.361, Palm Beach . . . In 2001, when this lawsuit was filed, section 95.361, Florida Statutes, applied only where a road was . . . “constructed” by a governmental entity, as follows: 95.361. . . .

W. CHARITY u t d B. B. u t d L. H. v. SARASOTA COUNTY, a K., 956 So. 2d 1250 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2007)

. . . land adjacent to the roadway by operation of Florida’s road dedication statute, as codified in section 95.361 . . .

I. PASCO v. CITY OF OLDSMAR, a, 953 So. 2d 766 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2007)

. . . judgment, asking the court to rule that the roadway was presumed to be dedicated to the City under section 95.361 . . . Section 95.361 creates a presumption that a road is dedicated to the public when it was both constructed . . . “maintained or repaired continuously and uninterruptedly for 4 years” by the governmental entity. § 95.361 . . . Section 95.361(1) requires more than occasional, or even periodic, maintenance or repair; it requires . . . 840, 840 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978) (reversing conclusion that road was dedicated to county under section 95.361 . . .

T. UNDERWOOD, v. COLUMBIA COUNTY,, 868 So. 2d 1225 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2004)

. . . See § 95.361, Florida Statutes (2002). . . . Nothing in the dedication statute, section 95.361, authorizes a court to award a property owner compensation . . . See § 95.361, Fla. Stat.; Suwannee County v. Garrison, 417 So.2d 1070, 1071 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982). . . . Section 95.361(1) provides, When a road, constructed by a county, a municipality, or the Department of . . . whether or not there is a record of a conveyance, dedication, or appropriation to the public use. § 95.361 . . .

R. HANCOCK T. a k a P. v. TIPTON, 732 So. 2d 369 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1999)

. . . Section 95.361(1), Florida Statutes (1995), sets out the requirements for a statutory presumptive dedication . . .

STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, v. JAMES,, 681 So. 2d 886 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1996)

. . . response, DOT denied James’ ownership and raised the affirmative defense of ownership based on section 95.361 . . . had conveyed its interest in the 1937 tax deed and that it could not prove compliance with section 95.361 . . . James’ predecessor-in-interest pursuant to the 1937 tax deed before raising a defense based on section 95.361 . . . That property conveyance rendered DOT’s assertions of ownership pursuant to section 95.361 “completely . . . Section 95.361(l)(c) states: (1) When a road, constructed by ... the Department of Transportation, has . . .

In JACKSON,, 169 B.R. 742 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 1994)

. . . Statutory dedication under § 95.361 (and its predecessor § 341.66) vests fee title to a dedicated road . . . Fla.Stat. § 95.361(l)(a). . . . Florida courts hold that the requirements of § 95.361 must be strictly met. St. Joe Paper Co. v. . . . If the Objectors cannot carry their burden of proving compliance with the statute, then § 95.361 does . . . adverse possession in this case, the County’s only claim to title is by statutory dedication under § 95.361 . . .

SOUTHEAST SEMINOLE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC. v. W. A. ADKINS,, 604 So. 2d 523 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1992)

. . . The reference is to a common law dedication (as opposed to a statutory dedication, see §§ 95.361, 177.081 . . .

P. WARD, v. STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,, 584 So. 2d 25 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1991)

. . . The Department asserted that under section 95.361, Florida Statutes (1989), and its predecessors, title . . . the extent in width that has been actually maintained for the prescribed [four year] period....” § 95.361 . . .

STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, v. AMERADA HESS CORPORATION v. AMERICAN ROYALTY PRODUCING COMPANY,, 46 Fla. Supp. 2d 97 (Fla. Cir. Ct. 1991)

. . . language remains essentially the same today, and the maintenance statute appears at Florida Statutes § 95.361 . . .

DARLEY, v. MARQUEE ENTERPRISES, INC. d b a s d b a d b a, 565 So. 2d 715 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1990)

. . . Appellant argues that under section 95.361(1), Florida Statutes (1987), the parking lot roadway became . . . The record at best contains conflicting evidence concerning the applicability of section 95.361(1). . . . Although appellant did not present sufficient evidence to apply section 95.361 as a matter of law, the . . . Section 95.361, Florida Statutes (1987) provides in pertinent part: (1) When a road, constructed bya . . .

SANTA ROSA COUNTY, v. C. WICKS, 535 So. 2d 349 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1988)

. . . determinations that the closed portion of the road had been dedicated to the public pursuant to section 95.361 . . .

L. LEE v. CALHOUN COUNTY, a, 532 So. 2d 43 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1988)

. . . and has since maintained the road, and therefore that the road is a county road pursuant to section 95.361 . . . Section 95.361(1), entitled "Roads presumed to be dedicated,” provides: [W]hen a road, constructed by . . .

H. BOOTHE, v. MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA,, 812 F.2d 1372 (11th Cir. 1987)

. . . . § 95.361 (West 1982) which provides in relevant part as follows: (1) When a road, constructed by a . . . The Florida courts have held that Section 95.361 is a statute of repose, which, when its terms have been . . .

CITY OF LIVE OAK, v. ARNOLD,, 468 So. 2d 410 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1985)

. . . asserted that Long Street was a “street” under the ordinances of the city as well as under Section 95.361 . . . Street became a “street” or roadway by dedication and acceptance of a recorded plat, or under Section 95.361 . . . that Long Street became a dedicated public street either by recording of the plat or under Section 95.361 . . .

SUN PLAZA WEST DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, v. CITY OF HOLMES BEACH, a, 465 So. 2d 542 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1985)

. . . Holmes Beach claimed title through the application of section 95.361, Florida Statutes (1983), and a . . . Section 95.361, Florida Statutes (1983), reads as follows: 95.361 Roads presumed to be dedicated.— (1 . . . The filing of the map pursuant to section 95.361(2) was prima facie evidence that the state had acquired . . . In construing a forerunner of section 95.361, our supreme court held that a city “could, without the . . . Admittedly, our construction of section 95.361 would theoretically permit a city to assert ownership . . .

BONIFAY, v. E. DICKSON R., 459 So. 2d 1089 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1984)

. . . Section 95.361, Florida Statutes (1977), which establishes a presumption of dedication when a road has . . . Although section 95.361, Florida Statutes provides for acquisition of fee title to the “dedicated” road . . .

HUDSON FARMS CITRUS CATTLE, a v. DESOTO COUNTY, a, 456 So. 2d 511 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1984)

. . . s summary judgment for DeSoto County on its counterclaim asserting ownership of roads under Section 95.361 . . . Subsection (1) of Section 95.361 provides that When a road, constructed by a county ... has been maintained . . . the county thereby properly employed the second of the two methods of proof spelled out in Section 95.361 . . .

L. HUGHES, v. TOWN OF MEXICO BEACH,, 455 So. 2d 566 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1984)

. . . evidence is not sufficient to support a claim of ownership by any governmental authority under Section 95.361 . . .

OSCEOLA COUNTY, v. D. CASTELLI,, 435 So. 2d 417 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

. . . Section 95.361, Florida Statutes (1981), provides that a county may acquire title to a roadway under . . . Therefore, section 95.361 is inapplicable here. . . .

HODGES, v. CITY OF WINTER PARK,, 433 So. 2d 1257 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

. . . Belflower, 355 So.2d 840 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978), and section 95.361, Florida Statutes. . . . Section 95.361(1), Florida Statutes (1975), states: When a road, constructed by a county, a municipality . . . four year period, or that the county performed inspections or repairs within the meaning of section 95.361 . . .

STAR ISLAND ASSOCIATES, a a v. CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG BEACH,, 433 So. 2d 998 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

. . . Although arguably those facts may not support a showing of road construction within the meaning of section 95.361 . . . 1980), we need not decide that issue because we cannot find that the legislative intent behind section 95.361 . . . We cannot construe the language of section 95.361(1)(b), which allows title to a road to vest in a municipality . . .

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION, STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, v. IDEAL HOLDING COMPANY, R., 427 So. 2d 392 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

. . . alternatively of (a) common-law dedication, (b) proscriptive easement or (c) maintenance pursuant to Section 95.361 . . .

DOWDELL, v. CITY OF APOPKA, FLORIDA, H., 698 F.2d 1181 (11th Cir. 1983)

. . . . § 95.361. See 511 F.Supp. at 1379. . . .

SUWANNEE COUNTY, v. E. GARRISON, Jr. L. E. III,, 417 So. 2d 1070 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1982)

. . . whether a road across appellees’ property had become vested in the County under the provisions of Section 95.361 . . . Section 95.361 makes no provision for an award of attorney’s fees in litigation to determine whether . . . of appellees’ property, and sought by means of the present suit to perfect title to it under Section 95.361 . . . fees against the County for its attempt to clarify the status of the road, in the light of Section 95.361 . . . Section 95.361 provides that when a road constructed by a county, municipality, or the state, has been . . .

C. BALBIER A. v. CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH,, 408 So. 2d 764 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1982)

. . . adopted by the trial judge, is that the City owns the right-of-way pursuant to the authority of Section 95.361 . . . In pertinent part, Section 95.361 provides: “Roads presumed to be dedicated “(1) When a road, constructed . . .

S. GENET, v. CITY OF HOLLYWOOD, a, 400 So. 2d 787 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1981)

. . . continuous public use of the beach area since the late 1920’s, or a presumed dedication under Section 95.361 . . . dispose of the City’s contention that it owns the property by presumed dedication pursuant to Section 95.361 . . . The statute provides: 95.361 Roads presumed to be dedicated.— (1) When a road, constructed by a county . . . below was inadequate to support a finding of prescriptive easement or dedication pursuant to Section 95.361 . . .

DOWDELL, L. L. v. CITY OF APOPKA, FLORIDA H. Jr., 511 F. Supp. 1375 (M.D. Fla. 1981)

. . . . § 95.361, the streets are deemed dedicated to the City of Apopka and, thus, the City has the authority . . .

A. P. WEEKLEY v. SANTA ROSA COUNTY,, 384 So. 2d 44 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1980)

. . . evidence to support the trial court’s finding that the County acquired, by compliance with Section 95.361 . . .

ST. JOE PAPER COMPANY, a v. ST. JOHNS COUNTY, a, 383 So. 2d 915 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1980)

. . . Joe had become the property of appellee under Florida Statutes, § 95.361, which is, in pertinent part . . . The County answered, claiming that the access way had been dedicated by operation of § 95.361. . . . Joe contends fthat Florida Statutes, § 95.361, to the extent that it has been construed to give rise . . . Florida Statutes, § 95.361 creates an exception to these general rules by providing a substantially shorter . . . activities were held to be a “construction” within the terms of the predecessor of Florida Statutes, § 95.361 . . .

MADDEN, v. FLORALA TELEPHONE COMPANY,, 362 So. 2d 475 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1978)

. . . Court (but had not been recorded) and which purported to show compliance with the requirements of § 95.361 . . . The trial court granted the injunction as aforesaid finding that § 95.361(2), Florida Statutes (1975) . . . (2), Florida Statutes (1975), or by complying with the provisions of § 95.361(1). . . . The map which was filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court pursuant to § 95.361(2) was an . . . Appellant further contends that if the county has acquired any rights under § 95.361, its rights are . . .

JOHNSON, v. CITY OF ARCADIA, FLORIDA, E. Sr. J. I. D. Jr., 450 F. Supp. 1363 (M.D. Fla. 1978)

. . . . § 95.361 (1976) 26. . . .

CONTINENTAL INS. CO. v. J. B. BELFLOWER,, 355 So. 2d 840 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1978)

. . . presented as to whether the road where the accident occurred was a county road under Florida Statute § 95.361 . . . Belflower’s case rests entirely on Section 95.361, Florida Statutes (1975), which presumes dedication . . .

PREMER, v. STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,, 346 So. 2d 1219 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1977)

. . . Applicable were Section 337.31 (now section 95.361, Florida Statutes 1975) under which the State had . . . submitted to the jury for decision, without explanation, by reading to the jury Section 337.31 (now Section 95.361 . . .

CAMPANELLA, v. L. SHUFORD,, 336 So. 2d 1257 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1976)

. . . holding that the county had maintained the road for more than the four-year prescriptive period, § 95.361 . . .