In an easement appurtenant, who benefits from the rights granted?

In the context of easements, an easement appurtenant is a type of easement that benefits a specific piece of land, known as the dominant estate. The dominant estate gains rights to use the land of another party, called the servient estate. This arrangement allows the owner of the dominant estate to exercise certain privileges, such as access through the servient estate, which can be crucial for accessing roadways, utilities, or other resources.

When an easement is appurtenant, it attaches to the dominant estate and not to the individual owner. This means that even if the property is sold, the easement rights continue with the property. The owner of the dominant estate enjoys the benefits of the easement, while the servient estate is obliged to honor those rights.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately define who benefits from an easement appurtenant. The servient estate is the property that bears the burden of the easement and does not gain any rights from it. A third party is neither the owner of the dominant nor the servient estate, making them ineligible to benefit. Finally, the grantor refers to the party that created the easement, typically not to the party who benefits from its rights.