Your blank canvas
Introducing the Worksheet What s this for? # Document number (number you will assign as you go along) Inst Document s recording info (book & page) Date Document s execution date Use 2 nd line for effective date, if different
Introducing the Worksheet ` What s this for? Grantor/Grantee Column List grantors 1 st, grantees 2 nd Fractional Interest Mineral Acres = Fract. Int. * Tract Acres Surface Acres = Fract. Int. * Tract Acres, or may just be net interest if severed from minerals Chain Doc. # references. More info below
Introducing the Worksheet ` What s this for? Legal Desc. / Res. Language On grantor s line, note: Description of lands conveyed Type of deed (warranty v. quit claim) Granting language On grantee s line, note: Any reservation, e.g. Mineral reservation Reservation of life estate
Introducing the Worksheet ` What s this for? Noting the granting language is particularly important. Distinguish: Grant of described lands Grant of net interest (e.g. ¼ interest in described lands) Grant of all of assignor s interest (ARTI = All right, title and interest ) Grant of fraction of assignor s interest (e.g. 1/12 th of grantor s int.)
Introducing the Worksheet ` What s this for? RX Highlight according to tract affected Req. Note any problems or defects regarding the document you re examining. This will be your checklist once you begin to draft the requirements in your opinion
Introducing the Worksheet General Guidelines Every document will be numbered, and listed in the worksheet Most documents represent a transaction and affect the state of title (deeds, probates, etc.) Some documents don t affect the state of title (affidavit of identity, etc.), but list them also
Introducing the Worksheet General Guidelines Where one party is record owner, and is later joined by a spouse or other person not in title in executing a deed: Party in title [and 3 rd party] E.g.: Carl Pitt [and Janet Pitt, husband and wife]
Introducing the Worksheet General Guidelines To enter a transaction: Note grantor s name and grantee s name on separate lines. Note the quantum of interest the grantor will have after giving effect to the transaction Note the Q. of I. the grantee will receive. In Chain column, note the doc. # where grantor obtained her interest
Introducing the Worksheet General Guidelines To enter a transaction (cont.): Go to the document # where grantor obtained her interest and: Mark through the Q. of I. columns Note the newly entered document number under the chain column
Starting Out In the beginning Start at the beginning Find your patents Draw map of tracts in your Section Color code your tracts Label each tract, and note its patent s line number from worksheet
Starting Out The tract map.
Starting Out
Putting theory into practice
Forging the chain Some abecedarian instruments 5. Todd C. Wilson Stacy Bussey SE/4, desc. lands, no res. 6. Stacy Bussey Letitia Gonzalez SE/4, desc. lands, res.: ½ minerals 7. Kent A. Epperson Melinda Randall SW/4 SW/4, E/2 SW/4, ½ int in desc. lands, no res.
Initial conveyances
Forging the chain One grantor to several grantees (typical of probates, intestate succession) 8. Estate of Eula Mae Valentine her devisees, to wit: Ernst Karl Valentine ½ Eunice Valentine Harris 1/6 Scott E. Valentine 1/6 Janis V. Walker 1/6 Grant of ARTI, no res.
One Grantor to several Grantees
Forging the chain Grant by Strangers to Title 9. Scott Casey and Elaine Casey, husband and wife Thomas Hunter and Elizabeth Hunter, husband and wife, as joint tenants Desc. Tract: NE/4, no reservation. Pencil in a? in the Q of I columns, maybe something will turn up later.
Strangers to Title
Forging the chain Reservation of Life Estate 10. Melinda Randall Masters and Phillip Masters, husband and wife James P. Masters, Jill Masters, & Gretchen M. Garrett ARTI in SW/4 SW/4, E/2 SW/4, reserves life estate unto grantors Grantees have no present possessory interest Problem of reservation of interest unto 3 rd party
Reservation of Life Estate
Forging the chain Grant of Severed Mineral Interest 11. Stacy Bussey Florence Henderson, Jimmy James, & Fritz Jaeger Grant of 1/3 rd RTI in SE/4, no res. X out the Surface Interest cell to note that the owner had no Surf. Int. Never leave a cell empty you ll confuse yourself later down the line.
Grant of severed mineral interest
Forging the chain Late-filed deed 12. Samuel Siegrist Elaine Siegrist & Hugo Siegrist QCD to Samuel s children, grants ARTI in NE/4, no reservation Enter this document, then go back to @9, note your presumption that Elaine Siegrist and Elaine Casey are the same person. Note defect: @9 conveyed the described lands but grantor only owned ½ interest therein.
Late-filed deed
Late-filed deed
Forging the chain When in doubt, recap When the ownership gets complicated, and you re not sure you have everything right, go back and recap what you have so far. Use letters instead of numbers for recap, so it doesn t throw off your document numbering. Recap in pencil in case of corrections
Late-filed deed