Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Nebraska

What do you mean half on his and half on your side?

Where was the trunk of the tree? Was it on both sides when he bought his property?

By the way, did he ask or tell you or otherwise announce his intention before he did that?

Was the tree dead or dying? Was it diseased? Did its branches pose a danger to his safety in some way? (Would the next storm have caused a limb to drop onto him, his guests, his family, his dog or his house?) -- Don't suggest any of these things, the danger or the disease, to him in advance -- wait for him to raise that issue himself if this goes anywhere.

I don't know your state's laws but it just seems to me that this would be "actionable" -- that you could sue him for the loss of the shade et al. you got from that tree, for the property damage that he did. You might even have a stronger case for making him pay for the debris removal, but that, too, is local law and I cannot speak for your state's laws, sorry.

Good luck and sorry to hear about the loss of your old friend.

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