Sec. 47-36aa. Validations re conveyancing defects of instrument recorded after January 1, 1997, insubstantial defects, defects re power of attorney, defects re conveyance by fiduciary.

(a) Conveyancing defects. Any deed, mortgage, lease, power of attorney, release, assignment or other instrument made for the purpose of conveying, leasing, mortgaging or affecting any interest in real property in this state recorded after January 1, 1997, which instrument contains any one or more of the following defects or omissions is as valid as if it had been executed without the defect or omission unless an action challenging the validity of that instrument is commenced and a notice of lis pendens is recorded in the land records of the town or towns where the instrument is recorded within two years after the instrument is recorded:

(1) The instrument contains a defective acknowledgment or no acknowledgment;

(2) The instrument is attested by one witness only or by no witnesses;

(3) In the case of a conveyance by a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership, or by any other entity authorized to hold and convey title to real property within this state, the instrument designated such entity as the grantor but was signed or acknowledged by an individual in the individual capacity of such person;

(4) The instrument was made to any grantee not recognized by law to have the capacity to take or hold an interest in real property. Validation of an instrument under this subdivision confirms the conveyance to the grantee and any subsequent transfers of the interest by the grantee to any subsequent transferees, their heirs, successors and assigns.

(b) Insubstantial defects. Any deed, mortgage, lease, power of attorney, release, assignment or other instrument made for the purpose of conveying, leasing, mortgaging or affecting any interest in real property in this state recorded after January 1, 1997, which instrument contains any one or more of the following defects or omissions is as valid as if it had been executed without the defect or omission:

(1) The instrument contains an incorrect statement of the date of execution or omits the date of execution;

(2) The instrument contains an execution date or other date that is later than the date of recording;

(3) The instrument transfers an interest in land by reference to a filed map or subdivision plan and the map or plan does not comply as to preparation, form, certification, approval or filing with any requirement of any special or general law, municipal ordinance or regulation;

(4) The instrument conveys an interest in a lot or parcel of land in a subdivision that was not submitted for approval or that was submitted for approval but was not approved;

(5) The record does not disclose the date of recording;

(6) The instrument does not disclose any statutorily required signature of the town clerk;

(7) The instrument does not contain a statement of consideration;

(8) The instrument fails to state the town and state in which the real property described in the instrument is located;

(9) The instrument fails to state the current mailing address of the grantee;

(10) In the case of a conveyance by a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership or limited liability partnership, or by any other entity authorized to hold and convey title to real property within this state, the instrument designates such entity as the grantor but fails to disclose the authority of the individual who executes and acknowledges the instrument;

(11) In the case of a committee deed, the judge's approval of the sale incorrectly states or fails to state the date of approval of the sale.

(c) Defect with respect to a power of attorney. Any deed, mortgage, lease, power of attorney, release, assignment or other instrument made for the purpose of conveying, leasing, mortgaging or affecting any interest in real property in this state recorded after January 1, 1997, which instrument is executed pursuant to a recorded power of attorney and contains any one or more of the following defects, is as valid as if it had been executed without the defect unless an action challenging the validity of that instrument is commenced and a notice of lis pendens is recorded in the land records of the town or towns where the instrument is recorded within two years after the instrument is recorded:

(1) The instrument was executed by an attorney-in-fact but was signed or acknowledged by the attorney-in-fact without reference to his or her capacity;

(2) The instrument was executed by an attorney-in-fact but does not reference the power of attorney;

(3) The power of attorney was effective at the time the instrument was executed but is recorded after the instrument is recorded.

(d) Defect where fiduciary conveyed to self. Any recorded deed, mortgage, lease, release, assignment or other instrument made for the purpose of conveying, leasing, mortgaging or affecting any interest in real property in this state, which instrument is executed by a fiduciary, but which instrument is voidable because the fiduciary is the grantee, mortgagee, leasee, releasee or assignee designated in such instrument, is as valid as if it had been executed without the defect unless an action is commenced to avoid and set aside such instrument and a notice of lis pendens is recorded in the land records of the town or towns where the instrument is recorded within ten years from the date of recording of such instrument.

(e) Defect with respect to conveyance by fiduciary. Any deed, mortgage, lease, power of attorney, release, assignment or other instrument made for the purpose of conveying, leasing, mortgaging or affecting any interest in real property in this state recorded after January 1, 1997, which instrument was executed by an executor, administrator, guardian, trustee, conservator or other fiduciary pursuant to an order or authorization of the court of probate and which contains any one or more of the following defects, is as valid as if it had been executed without the defect:

(1) The fiduciary failed to post a bond required by the court for the faithful administration and distribution of the proceeds of the sale, provided either (A) the fiduciary has accounted for the proceeds of the sale in an administration account that has been approved and accepted by the court after notice and hearing, and from which order of approval and acceptance no appeal has been taken, or (B) no action challenging the validity of that instrument is commenced and no notice of lis pendens is recorded in the land records of the town or towns where the instrument is recorded within two years after the instrument is recorded;

(2) Required notice of the probate court hearing on the application for an order of sale was not given, provided either (A) the fiduciary has accounted for the proceeds of the sale in an administration account that has been approved and accepted by the court after notice and hearing, and from which order of approval and acceptance no appeal has been taken, or (B) no action challenging the validity of the instrument is commenced and no notice of lis pendens is recorded in the land records of the town or towns where the instrument is recorded within two years after the instrument is recorded;

(3) The fiduciary failed to recite in the instrument the basis of the authority by which the fiduciary acted, provided either (A) an affidavit that complies with section 47-12a, that references the volume, page, and date of the instrument, and that recites the authority pursuant to which the fiduciary executed that instrument is recorded in the land records of the town or towns in which the instrument is recorded, or (B) no action challenging the validity of the instrument is commenced and no notice of lis pendens is recorded in the land records of the town or towns where the instrument is recorded within two years after the instrument is recorded.

(f) Release or assignment of mortgage by out-of-state fiduciary. A release or assignment of a mortgage interest held by a nonresident or deceased nonresident in real property in this state executed by an out-of-state fiduciary shall have the same effect as if executed by a fiduciary of this state notwithstanding that the certificate of appointment and qualification required by section 49-12 has not been filed unless an action contesting the release or assignment is commenced and a notice of lis pendens has been recorded in the land records of the town or towns where such release or assignment is recorded within two years after the instrument is recorded.

(P.A. 99-238, S. 4, 8; P.A. 00-84, S. 1, 3, 6; P.A. 01-195, S. 43, 181; P.A. 05-247, S. 1; P.A. 13-87, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 99-238 effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 00-84 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting “with any statutory requirement” and adding “with any requirement of any special or general law, municipal ordinance or regulation” in Subdiv. (3), adding new Subdiv. (8) re failure of the instrument to state town and state in which real property described in instrument is located and renumbering former Subdivs. (8) and (9) as Subdivs. (9) and (10), and revised effective date of P.A. 99-238 to specify applicability of Subsec. (f), as amended by that act, to errors, irregularities and omissions occurring on or after January 1, 1999, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(9), effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 05-247 amended Subsec. (d) to substitute “any recorded deed” for “any deed” and delete “recorded after January 1, 1997”; P.A. 13-87 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (9) re instrument failing to state current mailing address of grantee and redesignate existing Subdivs. (9) and (10) as Subdivs. (10) and (11).