An affirmative easement (also known as a positive easement) is an interest in another person’s land that allows the easement holder or easement owner (the dominant estate) to use the other person’s property (often an adjoining property) for a limited purpose.

For example, a landowner (the dominant estate) may have an affirmative easement that requires the owner of the adjoining property (the servient estate) to permit a limited use of the servient estate, such as discharging water or grass that has been cut onto the servient estate.

The terminology of the dominant estate and the servient estate is best understood by focusing on the use permitted by the easement. The dominant estate is the property with the right to use the servient estate (which is serving the dominant estate in some way).

In Massachusetts, an affirmative easement grants a property owner (the dominant estate) the right to use a portion of another's property (the servient estate) for a specific purpose. This type of easement is typically established through a written agreement and recorded in the land records to provide notice of the easement's existence. The easement remains attached to the property even if the ownership of the involved properties changes. The use permitted by the easement must be clear and specific, such as the right to discharge water or deposit cut grass onto the servient estate. The creation, modification, and termination of easements in Massachusetts are governed by state statutes and case law. It is important for property owners to understand their rights and obligations under an easement and to consult with an attorney if they have questions or if disputes arise regarding the easement.