Validity of land patent from 1914
Question Details: I found out that my great grand uncle obtained a land patent in South Dakota in 1914 which has not been cancelled yet. He was from Europe and was naturalized US citizen. Is the land patent still valid to sell the land or requisition for the land ? I am not from US and I live in Europe Union. Thank you for your answer.
Depending on where the land is located, there's a slim chance that this is still worth something. You would need to start by talking to a lawyer in the part of South Dakota where the land under the patent is located. One place you can look is our website, http://attorneypages.com
However, I think it's more than likely that someone has taken over the land by a legal doctrine called "adverse possession," which in simple terms means that if someone occupies a piece of land as if they own it, for long enough, then they do own it, especially if they pay taxes on it.
To take advantage of this -- if there's any advantage to be taken -- you'd also have to prove that you are the lawful heir of that great grand uncle.
