Old records and odd files

Abstracts are where the strange files show up: early deeds in poor condition, owners who appear under three spellings, a death with no probate. Software helps us find and read the old records and make them searchable. A person writes and checks each summary, and we point out the gaps in the cover note so they are not a surprise later.

What it covers

Full abstracts. A summary of each instrument from the start of the chain to the present.
Supplemental abstracts. New instruments recorded after the date of an earlier abstract.
Sovereignty abstracts. A chain that starts with the first transfer out of the sovereign, such as a patent from the United States or a grant from a state.
Heirship and probate research. Locating wills, probate files, decrees and recorded affidavits that explain how an interest passed after a death.

Runsheet or abstract?

A runsheet is a table. An abstract adds a written summary of what each instrument says: who signed, what was conveyed, what was reserved, and the exact words of anything unusual. Some attorneys want the table, some want the summaries, and some want both. Tell us which, and we will set up the work to match.

What to send

County and state
Legal description
Where the abstract should start, or "sovereignty"
The date to run through
Any earlier abstract we are supplementing

This service includes land work in Montana. See the county notes, including Richland County, Montana.

What you get

The abstract as a PDF with a table of contents, or in your own format
Images of the instruments behind each entry
A list of any probate or heirship items found along the way

What we do not do

We do not certify abstracts or issue title insurance.
We do not decide who the heirs are. We find and organize the records, and the client's attorney reads them.

Title abstracting