property owners; adverse possession

SB 1822 amends Arizona's adverse possession laws to clarify when property claimed through long-term use becomes deemed legally owned. It states that a person with a recorded deed who has paid property taxes for at least five consecutive years is deemed the lawful owner of the property, applicable to both city lots (under §12-524) and general real property (under §12-525). The bill explicitly excludes claims based on forged deeds or forged powers of attorney from these protections, ensuring only legitimate claims benefit from the five-year tax payment requirement. This change affects property disputes where ownership is contested based on possession and tax payments.