The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-02-01
THE TORRENs SYSTEM

1
tion has been introduced into the
house by j. Archie Willis. member
from Laurens county. and the follow
ing is a synopsis OF tho bill:
| A referee, who shall be appointed
in each county. shall constitute
courts of land registration, for the
purpose OF the settlement, regstra-
tion. transfer. and assurances Of titles
to lands within their respective juris-
diction." The jurisdiction of the reg
istration courts shall be the same
as that over which the registrar OF
said county shall have jurisdiction as
clerk of court.
After the petition has been made
to the court for a registered title. and
the decree has been granted, peti-
tion for a rehearing may be filed
within one hundred and twenty days
after the granting Of said decree
1t is provided in the bill to be
introduced that the clerk OF the court
Of each county shall be the registrar
of the land registration court. The
said registrars and their deputies
shall be authorized and required, un-
der the direction of their respective
courts, to issue process and to enter
the decree Of the court touching lands
m their respective counties CT rorpo-
rations and to enter and issue GER
;ificates Of title. as provided herein,
to affiX the seal of the court to such
certificates and their duplicates s**"**
and generally to perform such other
acts and duties as the court may pre-
scribe"
The clerks of the court when ap-
pointed registrars OF the land courts
shall qualify and give bond for the
faithful performance of ther duties
Two or more lawyers of the county
in which the court has jurisdiction
shall be appointed as examiners of
titles, and these may a;so be appointed
referee in the cases fled
1t shall be their duty to search the
records and to investigate all facts
stated in petitions for registered titles
Petitions for registration of any
land or lands may be made by the
person or persons claiming. singly
or collectively, to own or to have the
power Of appinting or disposing of
an estate in fee simple in any land
whether subject to liens or not"
The petition is filed under the pro-
vision of the bill i'm the registrars
office, after which the court shall
cause notice Of same to be sent to
"all whom it may concern" same be-
ing sent by registered mail, and GER
tihcates Of these notices shall be filed
with the petition, and shall be con-
elusive proof Of service. Any persons
having an interest in or CLAIM against
the land for which the petition as
been filed, may answer the petition
before the final decree has been Civ
en-. The court may have the land in
question surveyed, IL it thinks 1t nee
essary.
With the exception OF executors and
administrators who are winding up
estates. it is left purely optional with
all landowners as to whether they
shall have their land registered. but
ii Is believed by many that, should
the bill pass. and become a law, the
majority of landowners will want their
titles registered as soon as they can
have them registered.
The declce of registration is final
is quiets the title. and binds against
all the world, subject to appeal, as
provided by the bill
When a tract of land has been reg
istered an original certificate is kept
in the office Of the registrar. and
duplicate certificate is given the hold
er of the land registered The original
and duplicate each show all the in
cumbrances, if there are any, against
the land registered, and any one may
tell at any time the exact condition
of the title. All incumbrances placed
on the land after registration must
be recorded on both the original and
duplicate certificates OF title.
Under the provision OF the bill. the
land when once examined by the ex-
amining attorneys and registered in
the court of land registration shall
be guaranteed to the holder OF the
! title, the State making the guarantee.
! I'm assurance fund one-tenth of one