Hollars v. Church of God of the Apostolic Faith, Inc.

Plaintiffs initiated suit to acquire access to their 40-acre tract of farm land in Stone County, Missouri. Said tract was separated from Highway 13 by a parcel of land owned by defendant and operated as the Old Elm Tree Church. Plaintiffs alleged that they should have access across the churchyard by virtue of (1) a prescriptive easement; (2) an easement pursuant to . a contract between plaintiffs and the ruling body of the Old Elm Tree Church; and (3) a way of strict necessity. Defendant answered and counterclaimed for damages to the church property as a result of plaintiffs’ past passage…