Land patent
A land patent is evidence of right, title, and/or interest to a tract of land, usually granted by a central, federal, or state government to an individual or private company. In the original 13 American Colonies, a proprietor would grant land patents. Besides patent, other terms for the certificate that grants such rights include first-title deed and final certificate. In the United States, all property can be traced back to the first title deed and to claims that document titles for land originally owned by France, Spain, United Kingdom, Mexico, Russia, or aborigines. A land patent is known at law as “letters patent” and usually issues to the original grantee, and their heirs and assigns forever. The patent does not constitute title but is mere evidence of right to title existing in law.
