Opinion ID: 1178008
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the marketable record title act

Text: We next move to examine those provisions of the Act which are deemed pertinent to this litigation. In so doing, we intimate no view on the constitutionality of the Act because its validity was not framed as an issue in the trial court. In effecting our disposition of this case we will proceed on the assumption that the Act is constitutional. [6] The Act is based upon the principle that when one has clear record title for at least thirty years, all interests recorded prior to this period should be cut off unless preserved by filing a proper notice. [7] To effectuate this principle the Act focuses upon the concepts of root of title [8] and marketable record title. [9] Root of title is a conveyance or other title transaction within the record chain purporting to create the interest claimed. [10] Recordation of that transaction determines the effective date of the title root. Any title transaction may serve as the root of title if it is the most recent transaction in the claimant's chain recorded at least thirty years prior to the date marketability is determined. [11] Marketable record title exists when there is an unbroken chain of record title to real estate for at least thirty years and no recorded instrument in the chain purports to have a divestitive effect. [12] The unbroken chain may consist of only the root of title or several transactions of record purporting to vest the interest in the claimant. The chain examined may be greater than thirty years if root of title has been of record longer than thirty years. [13] Once marketable record title is established, all interests prior to the effective date of the root of title are extinguished [14] unless preserved by the Act. [15]