[paulgerhardt]

I recently performed a title search on a property going back to the 1820’s - the land was issued to the original owner by James Monroe and the buck stopped there.

An acquaintance performed a title search on another property going back to the 1100’s. They found a serious black and white error circa 1225 which voided the entire chain of claim. They did not report the error.

[zinekeller]

> An acquaintance performed a title search on another property going back to the 1100’s. They found a serious black and white error circa 1225 which voided the entire chain of claim. They did not report the error.

If this is the UK and the land-in-question is registered in the records held by the HM Land Registry, the black-and-white error is already void only recently-ish (Land Registration Act 2002 gave a 10-year "last chance" claims for very old deed errors, and the error you mentioned is now extinguished). Even if if was reported by your chap, HM Land Registry will just shrug because it literally has no legal effect now.

[cynusx]

The US has squatting laws, if you are living (uncontested) in a property for a determined period you can claim title.

There are always gaps in emerging economies and this rule is one of the more useful ones to onboard assets into the legal system.

cfr. De Soto - Mystery of Capital

[User23]

Every state has their own laws. Interestingly some states advantage squatting with a colorable claim of title. For example if your uncle John leaves you real property in his will that he doesn’t have title to and you notoriously occupy and use that property for seven years you can apply for a clean title. Without that colorable claim you might need twenty years or more.