By Richard Ruelas |The Republic
Tempe has asked for a court order to evict a man from valuable land near the city’s downtown, property the man has claimed is rightfully his because his family has lived there for more than a century.
That man, Steve Sussex, 76, has waged an unsuccessful, decade-long court battle to stay on the 1.75-acre parcel nestled next to the light-rail tracks and near pricey condos, apartments and busy eateries.
In his court battles, Sussex has asserted squatters’ rights, legally known as adverse possession. He said he gained title to the land because he and his ancestors lived on the property and no one took timely action to evict them.
