Which of the following best describes the Statutory (20-year) period element for adverse possession?

• A. Statutory (20-year) period
• B. Ten-year period
• C. Thirty-year period
• D. Fifteen-year period

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is the time requirement, or statutory period, for adverse possession. This is the length of time a person must possess land in a qualifying way for their possession to mature into title by operation of law. In this item, the statutory period is twenty years, so the possessor must meet all the other elements (such as actual, open and notorious, exclusive, and hostile possession) for a full twenty-year span. If those conditions are satisfied for that entire period, ownership can transfer to the possessor even without the owner's permission. Shorter durations like ten, fifteen, or thirty years do not fit this scenario, so they aren’t the correct statutory period here.