uccessfully defended ownership of the land plot hosting a John Deere dealership center

The team at LESHCHENKO & PARTNERS successfully represented the client in a complex land dispute that lasted for more than eight years. The court of first instance fully dismissed the prosecutor’s claim seeking to invalidate administrative decisions, agreements, and state registrations of property rights, as well as to recover the land plot in favor of the state.

The claim was initially filed in 2018 in the interests of the state and concerned a land plot whose ownership the prosecutor’s office sought to challenge based on alleged irregularities in its original allocation back in 2013.

A distinctive feature of the case was that, throughout the years of litigation, the land plot had been legally transferred between several owners through valid transactions. During this period, a major investment project was implemented on the property. In particular, a dealership center of the global agricultural machinery manufacturer John Deere was constructed and commissioned on the site, providing sales, maintenance, and support services to the agricultural sector across several regions of Ukraine.

As a result, the dispute concerned not only the ownership of a land plot but also the operation of an entire business and service complex established through substantial investments and years of commercial activity.

The case was further complicated by significant legislative changes and evolving court practice that occurred during the proceedings. Particular importance was given to the new legal approaches concerning the protection of bona fide purchasers, introduced into Ukrainian legislation in 2025.

The legal team at LESHCHENKO & PARTNERS developed a comprehensive defense strategy based on an in-depth analysis of land legislation, current case law, and procedural aspects of the dispute.

Among the key arguments presented by the defense were:

• the prosecutor’s office filed the claim in the interests of an entity that did not hold ownership rights to the disputed land plot;
• the applicable limitation periods for bringing the claim had expired;
• the claimant failed to comply with several mandatory procedural requirements;
• all stages of the land plot’s acquisition, change of designated use, construction process, and commissioning of the facilities had been approved by the competent state authorities.

The court agreed with the legal position advanced by LESHCHENKO & PARTNERS and fully dismissed the prosecutor’s claims.

This case serves as an important example of protecting the rights of bona fide owners, ensuring legal certainty, and safeguarding investments in Ukraine. It also demonstrates the importance of a comprehensive legal strategy in disputes involving land law, property rights, and complex procedural issues.