Legal Definitions - adverse interest

An adverse interest refers to an interest, claim, or right that is against another person's interest. There are three main types of adverse interests.

• A plaintiff and defendant have adverse interests in a lawsuit. The plaintiff wants to win the case, while the defendant wants to avoid liability.
• A witness with adverse interest is a witness who is hostile. For example, if a witness has a personal interest in the outcome of a case, they may be biased and want a different result than the party who called them to testify.
• In real property, adverse interest means a person who is not the owner of the land or house but has an interest in the property. For instance, if a neighbor has an easement that allows them to pass through someone else's land to access a public road, they have an adverse interest in that land.

These examples illustrate how an adverse interest can create a conflict of interest between two parties. In a legal case, a witness with an adverse interest may not provide truthful testimony, while in real property, a person with an adverse interest may have conflicting rights with the property owner.