What is the process called when the dominant and servient lands are combined into a single tract?

• A. Dedication of the land
• B. Estate at sufferance
• C. Merger
• D. Easement by grant

Answer: (C)

The process of combining the dominant and servient lands into a single tract is known as merger. This occurs when the ownership of both properties comes under a single party, effectively nullifying the easement that existed between them.

In property law, the dominant tenement benefits from the easement while the servient tenement is burdened by it. When these two properties are merged, the easement is no longer necessary since the dominant tenement no longer exists separately from the servient tenement. This principle is based on the idea that rights granted through an easement are extinguished when the properties are owned by the same person, as the owner has full control over both pieces of land.

Understanding this concept is critical in real estate transactions, as it impacts property development, land use, and the rights associated with easements.