Although recording statutes offer extensive protection and assurance to property owners, it is not an absolute defense against all claims of ownership by third parties. A recorded instrument that would not be found using generally accepted practices is said to be outside the searcher's chain of title and prevents the giving of record notice and its corresponding protections. Recordable documents include, but are not limited to, deeds, mortgages, long-term leases, judgment liens, and tax liens. Short-term leases are generally excepted from recorded statutes. Absent reference to the registry book and page number, the indefinite reference will not be binding on the searching party.
Adverse possession is completely outside of the recording system.
If a person adversely possesses property, the adverse possessor will not be in the chain of title unless the adverse possessor obtains a court judgment declaring the person as record title holder or gets the deed to the land from the record title holder and then records it himself. The publishing of this material does not constitute the practice of law nor does it attempt to provide legal advice concerning any specific factual situation.