What is a key characteristic of adverse possession?

Adverse possession is a legal doctrine that allows a person to claim ownership of land under certain conditions, one of which is that the possession of the property occurs without the permission of the original owner. This characteristic is essential because if the possession were authorized or permitted by the owner, it would not satisfy the requirements for adverse possession. For a claim of adverse possession to be valid, the possessor must occupy the land openly and notoriously, as well as continuously for a statutory period, while the original owner does not take action to reclaim the property. This lack of permission is critical to demonstrating a continuous and adverse claim to the land, which ultimately may lead to legal ownership after fulfilling the statutory time period and other legal requirements.