Jerusalem Talmud Bava Batra 3.4

משנה: כָּל חֲזָקָה שֶׁאֵין עִמָּהּ טַעֲנָה אֵינָהּ חֲזָקָה. כֵּיצַד אָמַר לוֹ מָה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה בְתוֹךְ שֶׁלִּי. שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר לִי אָדָם דָּבָר מֵעוֹלָם אֵינָהּ חֲזָקָה. אַתָּה מָכַרְתָּה לִי אַתָּה נָתַתָּה לִי מַתָּנָה הֲרֵי זוֹ חֲזָקָה. וְהַבָּא מִשּׁוּם יְרוּשָּׁה אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ טַעֲנָה.

MISHNAH: Any claim of undisturbed possession not accompanied by a claim of legal ownership is not a claim of undisturbed possession. How is this? He said to him, what are you doing on my property? Nobody ever said anything to me is not a claim of undisturbed possession. You sold it to me, you gave it to me as a gift, is a claim of undisturbed possession. A person entering because of inheritance does not need a claim.

הלכה: כָּל חֲזָקָה שֶׁאֵין עִמָּהּ טַעֲנָה כול׳. וְצָרִיךְ חֲזָקָה. תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. מוֹדֶה רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֶירוֹ. שָׂדֶה זוֹ כול׳. כְּהָדָא. רְאוּבֵן אוֹכֵל שָׂדֶה בְּחֶזְקַת שֶׁהִיא שֶׁלּוֹ וְהֵבִיא שִׁמְעוֹן עֵדִים שֶׁמֵּת אָבִיו מִתּוֹכָהּ. מַפְקִין לָהּ מֵרְאוּבֵן וִיהָבִין לְשִׁמְעוֹן. אֶלָּא הָלַךְ רְאוּבֵן וְהֵבִיא עֵדִים שֶׁלֹּא מֵת אָבִיו מִתּוֹכָהּ. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יַעֲקֹב. אֲנָא אַפִּיקְתֵּיהּ מֵרְאוּבֵן אֲנָא מַחֲזִרֶנָּה לֵיהּ. רַב אָמַר. כְּשֶׁנָּתַתָּהּ עַל פִּי בֵּית דִּין נָתַתַּה. מִיכָּן וָהֵילָךְ הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵירוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָיה.

HALAKHAH: “Any claim of undisturbed possession not accompanied by a claim of legal ownership,” etc. But it needs proof of undisturbed possession. There, we have stated: “Rebbi Joshua agrees that if somebody says to anothet, ‘this field’, etc.” As the following. Reuben ate from a field claiming that it was his. Simeon brought witnesses that his father died in possession. One removes [the field] from Reuben and hands it over to Simeon. Reuben went and brought witnesses that [Simeon’s] father did not die in possession. Rebbi Naḥman ben Jacob said, I took it from Reuben, I am returning it to him. Rav said, when you gave it to him, you gave it on the basis of a court decree. From there on the burden of proof is on the claimant.

מִי מוֹדִיעַ. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא. עֵידֵי מִיתָה מוֹדִיעִין. הַגַּע עַצְמָךְ שֶׁאֵין הָעֵדִים יוֹדְעִין. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. לְעוֹלָם הַשָּׂדֶה בְחֶזְקַת בְּעָלֶיהָ. מִיכָּן וָהֵילָךְ הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵירוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָיה.

Who informs? Rebbi Abba said, the witnesses to the death inform. Think of it, if the witnesses did not know! Rebbi Yose said, the field always is in the possession of its owner. From there on the burden of proof is on the claimant.