Maine Revised Statutes Title 33. Property § 772-A. Effect of release

1. Testimonium clause. A deed or other instrument executed after the effective date of this subsection that includes the following language: “[name] (wife or husband) of said Grantor, joins as Grantor and releases all rights by descent and all other rights” or similar language within the testimonium clause conveys any and all interests of the joining spouse to the property described in the deed or other instrument. This subsection applies to a deed or other instrument even if the joining spouse is not set forth in the beginning of the deed as a grantor to the conveyance.

This subsection does not apply to a deed dated before the effective date of this subsection that contains language in the testimonium clause as described in this subsection until November 1, 2000, at which time this subsection applies unless notice of a claim of right, title or interest is recorded in the registry of deeds for the county in which the land is located and an action is commenced on or before November 1, 2000 in any court with jurisdiction to adjudicate this action.

2. Filing of notice. In order for the notice specified in subsection 1 to be effective, it must contain an adequate description of the property in which the right, title or interest is claimed; a reference to the deed or other instrument on which the claim is based; the name of the current record owner of the property; and must be duly verified by oath taken by any person authorized to perform notarial acts. The register of deeds for the county in which the land is located shall accept all such notices presented that describe property located in the county and shall enter and record them in the same manner that deeds and other instruments are recorded and may charge the same fee for the recording of these notices as is charged for recording deeds. In indexing the notice, the register of deeds shall enter it in the grantee index of deeds under the name of the claimant appearing in the notice and in the grantor index of deeds under the name of the record owner appearing in the notice. Within a reasonable time after recording the notice, the register of deeds shall enter upon the margin of the record of the deed or other instrument on which the claim is based the volume and page in which the record of the notice may be found. The person filing the notice shall deliver or mail a copy of the notice to the current record owner of the property at the last known address of that owner.

3. Persons under disability; time limits not extended. Disability or lack of knowledge of any kind does not extend the time limits provided in this section.