(A) If an owner chooses to build a partition fence and the owner of adjoining property does not share in the construction of the fence, the owner building the fence, or a contractor hired by the owner, may enter on the adjoining property for no more than ten feet for the length of the fence to build and maintain in good repair the fence. The owner or contractor building the fence is not guilty of a violation of section 2911.21 of the Revised Code or an ordinance of a municipal corporation that is substantially equivalent, provided that the owner or contractor does not enter onto the property beyond the ten feet specified in this division. However, that owner or contractor is liable for all damages caused by the entry onto the adjoining property, including damages to crops.

Terms Used In Ohio Code 971.08

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Owner: means both of the following:

    (1) The owner of land in fee simple, of estates for life, of easements, or of rights-of-way while used by the owners thereof as farm outlets;

    (2) Any of the following with regard to any land that it owns, leases, manages, or otherwise controls and that is adjacent to land used to graze livestock:

    (a) The department of natural resources;

    (b) A conservancy district organized under Chapter 6101. See Ohio Code 971.01

  • Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59

(B) No person shall obstruct or interfere with anyone who is lawfully engaged in the construction or maintenance of a partition fence.