Opinion ID: 901858
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Deeds Specifically Excluding the Right of Way Land

Text: [¶ 42.] Certain plaintiffs' current deeds specifically excluded the Right of Way from the property conveyed to those plaintiffs. According to NHRRA, the circuit court erred when it quieted title in favor of these plaintiffs because they do not hold any right or interest in the Right of Way and have no right of reversion under the 1890 deeds. [33] Plaintiffs respond that because the original grantors, their heirs, successors, and assigns failed to answer plaintiffs' complaint seeking to quiet title in the property, fee title was properly quieted in favor of plaintiffs, when the court ruled the Right of Way abandoned. [¶ 43.] An action to quiet title may be maintained by any person having an estate or interest in land, either legal or equitable. Morse v. Pickler, 28 S.D. 612, 134 N.W. 809, 810 (1912) (citation omitted). A failure to show ownership, however, is fatal to a claim. Id. Only through the strength of [a party's] own title could [that party] recover the judgment [] sought. Fuller v. Middaugh, 76 S.D. 288, 293, 77 N.W.2d 841, 844 (1956) (citing Morse, 28 S.D. 612, 134 N.W. at 810; Waldner v. Blachnik, 65 S.D. 449, 274 N.W. 837 (1937)); see also SDCL 21-41-11. [¶ 44.] The deed to Plaintiff Crook Mountain Angus Ranch, Inc. specifically excludes the Right of Way. However, the Right of Way land excluded from this deed was originally obtained by FEMV through the 1875 Act. Because the 1875 Act gave FEMV an easement, and the easement extinguished when the railroad abandoned its right of way, the court did not err when it quieted title against NHRRA to this property. However, which plaintiffs, if any, hold fee title to the Right of Way land excluded from Crook Mountain's deed is not clear from the record. Indeed, the circuit court recognized that [t]here may be issues between plaintiffs as to ownership which may be determined at a further hearing if plaintiffs are unable to resolve ownership issues among themselves. Plaintiffs have not claimed a dispute of ownership; therefore, there is nothing for us to review with respect to this property. [¶ 45.] The deed to Plaintiff William W. Miller and Laurel D. Miller, co-trustees, conveys certain property lying North of the Railroad right of way. The Right of Way land excluded in the conveyance to the Millers was originally acquired by FEMV from two deeds, one from Pettit and the other from Newman. The deed to Plaintiff Fred Ening, Jr. conveyed certain land, lying North of the Railroad Right of Way. The Right of Way land excluded in this deed was originally acquired by FEMV from the deed from Norine. [¶ 46.] We previously determined that FEMV held title to the land conveyed by the Pettit and Norine Deeds in fee subject to a condition subsequent. Although we found that the condition in the Norine and Pettit Deeds was breached, FEMV and its successors and assigns retained fee ownership of the property until the successors or assigns of the original grantors exercised their power of termination. Because the Millers and Ening have not established title to the Right of Way land originally conveyed to FEMV by the Norine and Pettit Deeds, they are not the successors or assigns of Pettit or Norine and have no power of termination to exercise. Moreover, the Millers have not established title to the land originally conveyed to FEMV by the Newman Deed, which automatically vested in the grantors, their heirs, and assigns when CNW abandoned the road in 1970. Based on our review of the record, we cannot say who is the successor or assign of Newman, Norine, and Pettit sufficient to establish title in the Right of Way land excluded from the Millers and Ening Deeds. The issue is remanded for proper determination consistent with this opinion.