Deck 7: Describing Land Interests

Question 1

Prime meridians are placed every 24 miles.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Baselines are placed every 24 miles.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A township is six miles square.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

There are 36 sections in a township.

Question 5

There are 640 acres in a section.

Question 6

Townships are numbered according to their distance from guide meridians.

Question 7

The SE-1/4 of the NE-1/4 has 40 acres.

Question 8

Sections are numbered according to their distance from the guide meridians.

Question 9

A metes and bounds description requires an immovable starting point.

Question 10

A plat map must be recorded.

Question 11

A patent ambiguity is a mutual mistake of fact.

Question 12

A plat map shows the location of all easements.

Question 13

A plat map shows the dimensions of lots.

Question 14

A street address is a legally sufficient description.

Question 15

"All land but my spring" is a sufficient description.

Question 16

Baselines run north to south every 24 miles.

Question 17

Parallels are placed every 24 miles.

Question 18

Descriptions of property by popular name are always invalid.

Question 19

Oral evidence can be used to clarify a latent ambiguity.

Question 20

Oral evidence can be used to clarify a patent ambiguity.

Question 21

If there is a plat map and a metes and bounds description with an ambiguity, the plat map will control the result.

Question 22

A description that references a "part of" a section and gives the full government survey location is sufficient.

Question 23

"I hereby convey my farm" is a sufficient legal description.

Question 24

A metes and bounds description without a beginning point is invalid.

Question 25

A government survey description requires a reference to a guide meridian.

Question 26

A risk in metes and bounds descriptions is that starting points can move or disappear.

Question 27

A street address is a sufficient legal description for a contract to buy land.

Question 28

A street address and a plat map reference are a sufficient description.

Question 29

The NE-1/4 of a section has 60 acres.

Question 30

A township has 640 sections.

Question 31

A description in a deed that refers to a plat map that is then not attached to the deed is legally insufficient.

Question 32

A metes and bounds description that has no beginning point is legally insufficient.

Question 33

A street address coupled with a lot number and attached plat map is a legally sufficient address.

Question 34

A deed transferring "the farm" from the parent owners to the children who lived there with them has a legally sufficient description.

Question 35

Townships have 72 square miles.

Question 36

Parol evidence cannot be used to create a valid description.

Question 37

"The property located at municipal address _________________ in the Sabine Parish in Louisiana" is a sufficient description.

Question 38

"The land that includes the Wind Song cave" is a sufficient legal description.

Question 39

In determining what a description means, the terms are construed in the grantee's favor.

Question 40

If there are two descriptions and one is ambiguous and the other is not, the unambiguous description is used.

Question 41

-The property above has a legal description of 10 E. Dodge Street Delphi, Utah.

Question 42

A proper metes and bounds description of the above property would begin with "Starting at a point 100 feet from the eastern side of Ford Street.

Question 43

A proper metes and bounds description of the above property would begin with "Starting at the intersection of the southwestern corner of Ford Street.

Question 44

The diagram contains enough information to create a valid metes and bounds description.

Question 45

A plat map is the most frequently used method for describing property in rural areas.

Question 46

Which of the following are placed every 24 miles in the government survey?

A) Principal meridians
B) Range lines
C) Baselines
D) Guide meridians

Question 47

How many sections in a township?

A) 16
B) 36
C) 24
D) 32

Question 48

How far apart are the guide meridians?

A)24 miles
B)36 miles
C)16 miles
D)Indeterminate since there are only 35 of them

Question 49

Which of the following is not included on a plat map?

A) Lot size
B) Government survey description
C) Easements
D) Streets

Question 50

Metes and bounds descriptions start from a reference point and describe property by:

A) Distance and direction.
B) Reference to government survey.
C) Reference to plat maps.
D) Reference to baselines.

Question 51

The following description appears in a deed: "The home at 4244 Seville Street, Indigo, CA." This description:

A) Is an example of a metes and bounds description.
B) Is an example of a plat map description.
C) Is inadequate.
D) Would be adequate if county were included.

Question 52

A latent ambiguity:

A) Is one which the courts cannot correct.
B) Is a mistake in typing.
C) Is an error in measurement of a parcel size.
D) Makes a deed invalid.

Question 53

The SE-1/4 of the NE-1/4 has how many acres?

A) 160
B) 80
C) 40
D) 64

Question 54

The SE-1/4 of the NE-1/4 and the E-1/2 of the NW-1/4 have how many acres?

A) 160
B) 80
C) 40
D) 120

Question 55

Grids are the segments of land:

A) Also known as townships.
B) Located between guide meridians and parallels.
C) Also known as sections.
D) Also known as square miles.

Question 56

How many square miles in a township?

A) 36
B) 24
C) 18
D) 80

Question 57

The NE-1/4 of the NW-1/4 and the SE-1/4 and SW-1/4 have how many acres?

A) 40
B) 80
C) 160
D) 360

Question 58

Which of the following descriptions is inadequate?

A) "My house in Neville, Georgia"
B) "My farm, Shoreham Acres, in Klackamas Township, in Maine, in New England, USA"
C) Lot 23 of Sierra Vista Estates, Plat 3, recorded at Pima County Recorders, Book No. 5, Page No. 221
D) The NW 1/4 of Section 11, Township 3 North, Range 2 East of the Salt Lake Meridian, Iron County, State of Utah

Question 59

Each section contains:

A) 36 square miles.
B) 640 acres.
C) One township.
D) 1,000 acres.

Question 60

Plat map descriptions:

A) Often include a reference to a government survey.
B) Are invalid without a street address.
C) Are another form of metes and bounds descriptions.
D) Are valid with a recording of the plat map.

Question 61

In the event there is an ambiguity in a description, which of the following would be used to resolve the ambiguity?

A) The neighbors' ideas
B) Boundary markers
C) A plat map
D) Who used the land.

Question 62

The description, "All my land except the spring house":

A)Is a valid legal description.
B)Is a plat map description.
C)Is a metes and bounds description.
D)Is invalid.

Question 63

"SE-1/4 of the NW-1/4 of T1N and R3E in Bucks County":

A)Is a valid legal description.
B)Is a plat map description.
C)Is a metes and bounds description.
D)Is invalid

Question 64

Plat maps:

A)Are recorded in land records.
B)Are invalid descriptions unless included in a government survey.
C)Are valid with a street address.
D)Are invalid forms of descriptions.

Question 65

Which are horizontal lines in the U.S. Government Survey?

A) Grids
B) Baselines
C) Prime meridians
D) Guide meridians

Question 66

The following description is part of a deed: "The SE-1/4 of the SE-1/4 T1N" of the Bucks' portion of Gentry Farm.

A) The description is sufficient because a popular name is coupled with a government survey.
B) The description is sufficient because of the government survey portion.
C) The description is insufficient to pass legal title.
D) The description is insufficient because government surveys and popular names cannot be mixed together in a legal description.

Question 67

Which of the following would make a metes and bounds description insufficient?

A) A movable starting point
B) A reference to a stream
C) A reference to a street intersection
D) A reference to a government survey marking point for a baseline

Question 68

Which of the following would be a parcel of land with 400 acres?

A) A township
B) SE-1/4 and the NE-1/4 and the E-1/2 of the SW-1/4 of Section 36 T2N R1W in Coconino County
C) SE-1/4 of the SE-1/4 and the S-1/2 of the NE-1/4
D) SE-1/4 and the NE-1/4

Question 69

Which of the following is the most frequently used form of legal description in residential property?

A)Plat map
B)Metes and bounds
C)Government survey
D)Street address

Question 70

Wynona O'Brien owned a house located on the corner of Ash and Maple Streets in the town of Meridian, Iowa. Ms. O'Brien had lived there all of her life, having inherited the house from her parents when they passed away. The will of her father left the home to Wynona's mother with the language, "I leave my interest in our house to my wife…." When Wynona's mother died, her will provided, "I leave our house to my daughter, Wynona." Wynona made the following gift to the historical society, "I hereby convey the O'Brien house to the Meridian Historical Society, reserving a life estate in our house for me." Which of the following statements best describes the ownership positions of the parties?

A)Wynona has a life estate and the Meridian Historical Society has a remainder.
B)Wynona did not take good title to the home through her mother's will.
C)The historical society has full title to the property because there could be no mistaking what property is meant by the grant.
D)The description in the grant to the Meridian Historical Society is legally insufficient.

Question 71

A metes and bounds description begins with the following, "Starting at the point of the site of Old Clay Springs Mill and proceeding...." Which of the following best describes whether a deed description with this beginning?

A)The description will be legally sufficient as long as the Mill remains there.
B)The description will be legally sufficient as long as it closes at the Mill beginning point.
C)The description is not legally sufficient because a building location is imprecise.
D)The description will be legally sufficient if the Mill address is included.

Question 72

The following description appears in a deed: "Lot 27 of Candlelight Estates IV, as per plat recorded in Book of Maps 30, page 80, in the Office of the County Recorder of Holim County, Utah."

A)The description is not legally sufficient to pass title.
B)The description requires reference to a government survey to be legally sufficient.
C)The description is legally sufficient.
D)The description requires a reference to a street address to be legally sufficient.

Question 73

How many prime or principal meridians are there?

A)35
B)32
C)64
D) 72

Question 74

How many baselines are there?

A)35
B)32
C)64
D)72

Question 75

Which of the following descriptions is an adequate legal description for a valid deed?

A) "All my real estate located in R1W T4N Salt Lake Meridian next to Jasper City and bordering on Highway 489 North and 35 West"
B) "That part of my farm that includes the Welby Pond"
C) "228 East Gary Circle, Brisbane, MN"
D) "The fenced in area that I own in Laramie County, WY"

Question 76

The general problem with metes and bounds descriptions is:

A) They are invalid legal descriptions.
B) They have to contain a street address.
C) They have to have certain and stable beginning and ending points in order to be valid.
D) There are generally no legal problems with metes and bounds descriptions.

Question 77

A deed contains the following description, "The lot at the corner of Union Street and Fern Street in Brighton Beach, NJ."

A) The description is a valid legal description.
B) The description is a valid legal description if the name of the county is added.
C) The description is a valid legal description if the street address is added.
D) The description is not a valid legal description.

Question 78

What is the effect of attaching a plat map to a deed with the following description: "The Doonesbury Inn at Salisbury, Maryland."

A) The description would still be invalid
B) The description would be valid with the plat map
C) The description would be ambiguous because a plat map cannot be used for commercial properties
D) A plat map cannot be used to establish a description from an inadequate one

Question 79

When a deed description is invalid:

A) Courts allow parol evidence to clear up the issue.
B)Courts correct the description themselves.
C) Courts do to allow parol evidence to clear up ambiguous descriptions.
D)Parol evidence is allowed as long as the parties agree to allow it.

Question 80

A promissory note has the following language: "This note is secured by Lots 117, 118, and 119 in Arboleda Estates."
The note was recorded to protect the lender with a mortgage on the lots. The borrower defaulted on the note. Can the lender foreclose based on the recorded note?

A)Yes, because the note was recorded and the lender is a secured creditor
B)No, because you cannot record a note
C)No, because the description is inadequate
D)Only if the lender signed the note