Resolve a Tree or Property Boundary Dispute with a Neighbor

  1. Photograph the visible damage with a dated scale reference
    30 min

    This step produces a dated photo log that establishes when the damage existed and how extensive it was. The common mistake is taking only close-ups — without a wide shot that shows the tree in relation to the property line and the damaged structure, the photos cannot prove causation.

    What to do:

    • Take photos on a dry, well-lit day. Use a smartphone or any camera that saves the date in the file metadata.
    • For every damaged area, shoot three angles: a wide shot showing the damage in context, a medium shot framing the specific crack or break, and a close-up with a measuring tape or a ruler placed directly against the damaged surface.
    • Include at least one wide-angle shot that captures the tree trunk, the overhanging branches, and the damaged structure in the same frame.
    • Place a current newspaper or a smartphone screen showing today’s date in at least two photos as an independent time stamp.
    • Do not delete any photo you take, even if it looks blurry — deletion undermines the integrity of the set.
    • Create a folder on your computer or cloud drive named “Dispute Photos YYYY-MM-DD” and copy all photos there without renaming them.