Hampton v. Portland General Electric Company

This is an action of trespass to recover damages resulting from defendant’s severance of trees on plaintiffs’ land. Plaintiffs appeal from a verdict in favor of defendant.

Plaintiffs are the owners of a narrow strip of land approximately 500 feet long and 85 feet wide which lies adjacent to a paved road in a rural area in Clackamas County. Defendant, which maintained a power line along the border of the property, found it necessary to clear the line of trees which were coming in contact with the line. Defendant cut down some of the trees, consisting principally of alder and hawthorn.…