Q: How do I determine if Land Purchased in 1925 by a Direct Blood Relative was Properly Foreclosed according to 1920s Law?
Own an Orig October 1925 Warranty Deed for a Land Parcel (.23 Acres, 4 Lots) purchased by my Great Uncle (Maternal Grandmother's Brother) from the Federal Corporation. Parcel is in Northern Florida. I am a Direct Heir. He worked/resided in both Wash DC and Baltimore at that time. Died early 1927. Single. Never Married. No Children. Land likely sold in Property Tax Lien Foreclosure late 1920s-early 1930s. How do I determine if Foreclosure was Legally performed each and every step of the way according to the then State Law? How do I determine if Land ever truly had clear Title after my Great Uncle's Ownership? That Generation is all Deceased. Heard rumors about the Land for years when that Generation was alive. No Family Member Living or Dead had ever received or ever heard about receiving any Legal Notice/s from any Gov't Entity Related to Property Taxes Due or Back Taxes owed on the Parcel. Land, today, is part of a Public High School Campus.
A:
The statutes of limitation, doctrine of laches and waiver all will bar you from making any claim that is almost 100 years old. Most of these statutes are 4 or 5 years. At most, 20 years.
If you really wanted, you could have an attorney do an abstract of the history of title and the basis for each of those titles. It would be expensive and not worth your time or money in the end.
A: Florida's Marketable Title Act would also in all likelihood bar any successful claim as to the property.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
