Created Date: 8/25/2002 1:42:07 AM. May 07, 2020 · Adverse possession is a legal principle that states that a person can acquire legal ownership of someone else’s property. The idea of adverse possession is important because it ensures that land is used efficiently. Virtually every state has some form of an adverse possession law on its books, often dating back more than a hundred years as a way for pioneers to continuously squat on land, improve the land. Under Florida laws, which govern unfavorable possession when a person or resident defies an order to leave the property as the owner of the property has personally notified, or if the intruder does.