Here are a few questions that I came up with for your consideration. Some of them will be specific to certain states, but I belive most of this stuff is basic general information that every abstractor should know.

Source of Title has been very helpful to me and I hope that this will be of some help to you.


1. Define a Ouit Claim Deed.

2. Define a Special Warranty Deed.

3. Defiine a Warranty Deed.

4. Define Tenants in Common.

5. Define Joints Tenants witht the Rights of Survivorship.

6. Define Tenants by the Entirety.

7. How many square feet in an acre of land?

8. How many acres of land in a Section.

9. How many Sections of land in a Township.

10. As a general rule how does 16th Section land differ from other land described by Section?

11. What is a purchase money mortgage.

12. What is a Deed of Trust?

13. Which direction do Township lines run?

14. Which direction do Range lines run?

15. What is an open ended mortgage?

16. What is a close ended mortgage?

17. What is a direct/reverse indexing system?

18. What is a Sectional Indexing system?

19. What does the term intestate mean?

20. What does the term probate mean?

21. What is a Power of Attorney?

22. May real property be conveyed by a person holding a Power of Attorney?

23. Who is the Grantor in a Deed?

24. Who is the Grantee in a Deed?

25. What type of tenancy would be created in a deed containing the following language, “I John Smith convey and warrant unto Mary Jones and husband, Bill Jones the following described real property....”

26. What is a Lis Pendens notice?

27. What is a Lien?

28. In a Deed conveying a Life Estate to the Grantee who is the remainderman?

29. John is the Life Tenant of Blackacre. You find a Deed from John conveying Blackacre to Mary. Is the Deed to Mary a valid conveyance of Blackacre?

30. You are checking the title to Blackacre and you don’t find any outstanding or open deeds of trust indexed in the Sectional Indices but your client has advised you that there is an open deed of trust; what should you check next?

31.Your state is a “race notice” state. What does the term “race notice” mean?

32. Define “trustee” on a deed of trust.

33. What is a Trustee’s Deed?

34. Define the term homestead exemption.

35. Define the term right of way.

36. Define th term life estate.

37. Define the term easement.

38. What is a first Deed of Trust?

39. What effect does the foreclosure of a first Deed of Trust have upon all subsequent deeds, deeds of trust or other conveyances?

40. What is the Statute of Frauds in regards to the conveyance of real property?

41. How can you tell if a Deed of Trust has been cancelled?

42. Should a foreclosed Deed of Trust be cancelled of record?

43. What is an Assignment of a Deed of Trust?

44. On an Assignment of a Deed of Trust who is the Assignee?

45. What is a metes and bounds description?

46. What does the term Acknowledgement mean in regards to conveyances of real property.

47. You see the terms link(s) and chain(s) in a survey; define these terms.

48. How many feet in a chain?
a. 66
b.16
c. 361
d.209

49. How many Square Feet in an acre?

a. 640
b. 43,560
c. 45,360
d. 5380

50. How many feet in a mile?
a. 640
b. 43,560
c. 45,360
d. 5380

51. As a general rule how many acres of land in a Section?
a. 640
b. 43,560
c. 45,360
d. 540

52. As a general rule one section of land equals how many miles?
a. 100
b. 10
c. 1
d. 36

53. As a general rule how many acres does a Township contain?
a. 240
b. 23,040
c. 43,560
d. 36,000

53. Define the term Eminent Domain?

54. Define the term Adverse Possession?

55. This is a multi part question.

Plat the following legal descriptions.

Parcel 1.

“Commence at the Northeast Corner of the NE1/4 of the NE1/4 of Section 36, T5N, R12W, for the point of beginning.

From said POB run on and along the East line of said Section 36, S 00°70’49” E for 469.25 feet; thence run S 89°49’11” W for 114.00 feet; thence run N 00°70’49” W for 469.32 feet to the North line of said Section 36, thence run on and along said North line N 89°50’58” E for 114.00 feet back to the point of beginning.”

Parcel 2.

“Commence at the Northeast Corner of the NE1/4 of the NE1/4 of Section 36, T5N, R12W, and run on and along the North line of said Section 36, S 89°50’58” W for 114.00 feet to the point of beginning.

From the point of beginning run S 00°70’49” E for 668.78 feet; thence run S 89°50’58” W for 216.00 feet; thence run N 00°70’49” W for 668.89 feet feet to the North line of Section 36; then run on and along said North line N 89°50’58” E for 216 feet back to the point of beginning.


a. Does the description in Parcel 1 close?

b. Does the description in Parcel 2 close?

c. Does Parcel 1 overlap with Parcel 2?

d. Are Parcel 1 and Parcel 2 contiguous?

e. Approximately how many acres m/l does Parcel 1 contain?

f. Approximately how many acres m/l does Parcel 2 contain?

g. In a Township what Section would would be contiguous with the North line of Section 36?

56. As a general rule may a mineral estate be separated from the surface estate?

57. Define the term fee simple estate.

58. Define the term U.S. Government Land Patent.

59. Define Notary Public.

60. Define the term accretion in relation to lands along the shore of a body of water.

61. Define the term riparian land.

63. Define the term lease.

64. Define the term leasehold interest.

65. May a leasehold interest be conveyed?

66. Define the term holographic will.
67. Define the term executrix.

68. Define the term administrator under a will.

69. Define the term et al.

70. Define the term et ux.

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