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Terms Used In Maryland Code, REAL PROPERTY 4-109

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(a) If an instrument was recorded before January 1, 1973, any failure of the instrument to comply with the formal requisites listed in this section has no effect, unless the defect was challenged in a judicial proceeding commenced by July 1, 1973.

(b) If an instrument is recorded on or after January 1, 1973, whether or not the instrument is executed on or after that date, any failure to comply with the formal requisites listed in this section has no effect unless it is challenged in a judicial proceeding commenced within six months after it is recorded.

(c) For the purposes of this section, the failures in the formal requisites of an instrument are:

(1) A defective acknowledgment;

(2) A failure to attach any clerk’s certificate;

(3) An omission of a notary seal or other seal;

(4) A lack of or improper acknowledgment or affidavit of consideration, agency, or disbursement;

(5) An omission of an attestation;

(6) A failure to name any trustee in a deed of trust; or

(7) A lack of or defective witness attestation to a power of attorney.