Mother Hubbard clause

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In Occidental Permian, Ltd. et al v. Citation 2002 Investment LLC  the Supreme Court construed a 1987 assignment from Shell Western E& P Inc. to Citation of a large number of properties. The instrument contained these numerous provisions:

  • 1st granting clause: … all right, title and interest in the … leasehold estates described in
…
Co-author Rusty Tucker

Bell v. Midway Petroleum Grp., L.P., was a trespass to try title action, suit to quiet title for possession of a land, and a counterclaim for title by adverse possession. There are several …

… Takeaways

  • A Mother Hubbard Clause can save a deed in which the property description fails to satisfy the Statute of Frauds.
  • Testimony to establish adverse possession must be of such character as to indicate unmistakably an assertion of a claim of exclusive ownership in the occupant.
  • Where there is a claim for adverse possession, an overly agressive party risks paying the oppoent’s attorney’s fees.
  • Before you head off to the courthouse for vindication, remember that the complexity of legal and factual issues is wholly unrelated to the amount in controversy. We say that because this dispute seems like a lot of work for less than an acre of land.

Continue Reading Mother Hubbard Clause Saves a Property Deed

shysterAccording to Mr. Bumble, the law is an ass. I disagree (Know a lawyer who’s an ass? That’s another conversation). In Davis v. Mueller the law was not an ass, per se, but as applied by the Texas Supreme Court it showed little mercy.

A refresher on conveyances

  • According to the Statute of Frauds, a writing conveying real property must furnish within itself, or by reference to some other existing writing, the means or data by which the land to be conveyed may be identified with reasonable certainty.
  • A Mother Hubbard clause is a catchall in a deed to capture small, overlooked, or incorrectly described interests.
  • A Mother Hubbard clause is not effective to convey a significant property interest not adequately described in the deed.
  • In Texas a general conveyance of all of a grantor’s property in a geographic area is given effect.

Continue Reading Texas Mineral Deeds Survive the Statute of Frauds