What can a person do when they have a boarder fence that needs replacing and the neighbor refuses to help pay for it? Laws state it is owned 50/50! I checked all the laws before replacing it. I even checked with a few fence contractors. They all stated that it is 50/50 in California and they must pay! We'll, a Grover Beach judge says the owner, only has to pay 1/3 of the fence. I don't get it! A 25 year old fence we both agreed needed to be replaced but because I took the inititive and didn't lie must pay for the 2/3 and all the court costs. Guess I was brought up wrong lying does pay!