To eliminate adverse possession from the state code of West Virginia

HB 5193 would abolish West Virginia's legal doctrine of adverse possession, which previously allowed individuals to gain ownership of land by occupying it continuously for a set period without the owner's permission. The bill amends Section 55-2-1 of the state code to explicitly state that "the doctrine and law of adverse possession is abolished" and repeals Section 55-2-3, which previously governed land claims under this doctrine. This change directly affects property owners, who would no longer face claims of ownership by long-term occupants, and occupants who might have sought title through this method. The bill removes a specific legal pathway for acquiring land title, replacing it with a straightforward rule that all land claims must follow standard ownership and transfer processes.