In NJ, this is When You May Cut a Branch from Neighbor’s Tree

Spring has sprung in NJ and all the wet weather we've been having is going to lead to lush green lawns and big trees growing bigger.

If you live in a suburban neighborhood, lawn appeal is a matter of pride.

Everyone wants the greenest lawns, prettiest flowers, and nice full trees.

We've all seen movies of neighbors at war, and some of us have even experienced this firsthand.

When neighbors declare war, it can escalate quickly and most times these wars could have been prevented by simply talking out the issues.

One common neighbor war involves trees with branches that hang over property lines.

According to a story on angi.com, In New Jersey, it is legal for you to cut branches that hang over your property, assuming the branch(es) in question are encroaching on your property.

The key thing to remember is that you need to be sure that the tree really is crossing the property line.

Don't trust your fence to be the determining factor.  Look for the metal spikes in the ground that are usually used to define property lines.

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Before doing anything, however, why not have a discussion with your neighbor?

If you have safety concerns, or if the branch is dead, there's a good chance you can come to an amicable agreement.

If communicating with your neighbor doesn't work and you want to remove the branch, your best course of action is to call a professional to do it.

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Keep in mind that you may only cut what's on your property.  Also, if you damage the tree, you may be held liable.

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In addition, if you cut a branch that isn't on your property, you can also be fined for trespassing.