Title 43Public LandsRelease 119-73

§331 Reclamation requirements waived in favor of disabled soldiers, etc.

Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 9— - DESERT-LAND ENTRIES › § 331

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets desert-land entrymen or persons with section 326 rights who, after applying or starting a claim, enlisted or actually served in U.S. military before November 11, 1918, were honorably discharged and disabled by service. They can skip reclamation and payments to get patent if they prove claim under Secretary of Interior rules. No patent before survey.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §331

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any entryman under the desert-land laws, or any person entitled to preference right of entry under section 326 of this title, who after application or entry for surveyed lands or legal initiation of claim for unsurveyed lands, and prior to November 11, 1918, enlisted or was actually engaged in the United States Army, Navy, or Marine Corps during the war with Germany, who has been honorably discharged and because of physical incapacities due to service is unable to accomplish reclamation of and payment for the land, may make proof without further reclamation thereof or payments thereon under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, and receive patent for the land by him so entered or claimed, if found entitled thereto: Provided, That no such patent shall issue prior to the survey of the land.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 331

Title 43Public Lands

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73