Limitation where equitable title to land emanates from government
This law is about old land ownership disputes. If someone has been lawfully living on or using a piece of land for a long time, and another person thinks they have a claim to that land but has not possessed it or paid taxes on it for 30 years in a row, that other person has only one year to go to court and fight for the land. If that person does not go to court within one year, their claim is lost forever, and ownership automatically goes to the person actually on the land.
516.070. where to land emanates from government. — Whenever any , the equitable title to which shall have more than ten years, shall thereafter, on any date, be in the of any person, and which shall or might be ed by another, and which shall not at such date have been in of the said person claiming or who might claim the same, or of anyone under whom he or might claim, for thirty years, and on which neither the said person claiming or who might claim the same nor those under whom he claims or might claim has paid any taxes for all that period of time, the said person claiming or who might claim such real estate shall, within one year from said date, bring his to recover the same, and he shall be forever , and his right and shall, , in such ; provided, however, that in all cases such action may be brought at any time within one year from the date at which this section takes effect and goes into force.
(RSMo 1939 § 1008)
Prior revisions: 1929 § 856; 1919 § 1311; 1909 § 1884
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Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.