Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-2-109

This is the official text of Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-2-109, part of Tennessee’s Code Ann — part of the compiled statutory law of Tennessee, published by the state as "Code Ann." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

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Presumption of ownership from payment of taxes

Official statutory text

Any person holding any real estate or land of any kind, or any legal or equitable interest therein, who has paid, or who and those through whom such person claims have paid, the state and county taxes on the same for more then twenty (20) years continuously prior to the date when any question arises in any of the courts of this state concerning the same, and who has had or who and those through whom such person claims have had, such person's deed, conveyance, grant or other assurance of title recorded in the register's office of the county in which the land lies, for such period of more than twenty (20) years, shall be presumed prima facie to be the legal owner of such land. Acts 1947, ch. 28, § 1; mod. C. Supp. 1950, § 9159.1 (Williams, § 9746.1); T.C.A. (orig.ed.), § 28-209.
Any person holding any real estate or land of any kind, or any legal or equitable interest therein, who has paid, or who and those through whom such person claims have paid, the state and county taxes on the same for more then twenty (20) years continuously prior to the date when any question arises in any of the courts of this state concerning the same, and who has had or who and those through whom such person claims have had, such person's deed, conveyance, grant or other assurance of title recorded in the register's office of the county in which the land lies, for such period of more than twenty (20) years, shall be presumed prima facie to be the legal owner of such land.
Acts 1947, ch. 28, § 1; mod. C. Supp. 1950, § 9159.1 (Williams, § 9746.1); T.C.A. (orig.ed.), § 28-209.

Status: in_force

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