The case was originally thought to be leak-proof for the defendants, for local real estate laws stipulate that any person who lives in a residence for more than 12 years without the original property owner exercising ownership rights will, in effect, own the property in question.
ðə kˈeɪs wʌz ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli θˈɔːt təbi lˈiːkpɹˈuːf fɚðə dᵻfˈɛndənts, fɔːɹ lˈoʊkəl ɹˈiːəl ᵻstˈeɪt lˈɔːz stˈɪpjʊlˌeɪt ðæt ˌɛni pˈɜːsən hˌuː lˈɪvz ɪn ɐ ɹˈɛzᵻdəns fɔːɹ mˈoːɹ ðɐn twˈɛlv jˈɪɹz wɪðˌaʊt ðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl pɹˈɑːpɚɾi ˈoʊnɚɹ ˈɛksɚsˌaɪzɪŋ ˈoʊnɚʃˌɪp ɹˈaɪts wˈɪl, ɪn ɪfˈɛkt, ˈoʊn ðə pɹˈɑːpɚɾi ɪn kwˈɛstʃən.