What does an adverse possessor acquire if they occupy a life estate?

When an adverse possessor occupies a life estate, they acquire the life estate of the original owner. This occurs because adverse possession allows a person to gain a legal right to a property if they meet certain conditions, which often include continuous and open use of the land for a statutory period, without the permission of the original property owner.

In the case of a life estate, the possessor does not gain full title to the land or a reversion interest; instead, they only gain the rights associated with the life estate and can use the property as long as they live. Once the life tenant dies, the rights revert back to the reversioner or the grantor, depending on the terms of the original grant. Therefore, the adverse possessor's claim extends only to the life estate, not to the full ownership of the land or an option to purchase it.