§858 — Title 43 Public Lands | U.S. Code

Summary

Counties or parishes that have federal public lands get the right to buy one quarter section of land in each county at the minimum price set for U.S. public lands. That parcel is kept in trust for the county to use as its seat of justice (county seat or courthouse site). If that quarter section is later sold, the money from the sale must be used to build public buildings in that county after subtracting the original price paid. The county seat must be fixed before selling the lands next to it.

Title 43, §858

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

There shall be granted to the several counties or parishes of each State and Territory, where there are public lands, at the minimum price for which public lands of the United States are sold, the right of preemption to one quarter section of land, in each of the counties or parishes, in trust for such counties or parishes, respectively, for the establishment of seats of justice therein; but the proceeds of the sale of each of such quarter section shall be appropriated for the purpose of erecting public buildings in the county or parish for which it is located, after deducting therefrom the amount originally paid for the same. And the seat of justice for such counties or parishes, respectively, shall be fixed previously to a sale of the adjoining lands within the county or parish for which the same is located.

Editorial Notes

Codification R.S. § 2286 derived from act May 26, 1824, ch. 169, § 1, 4 Stat. 50.

§858 Grants to counties for seats of justice

Summary

Title 43, §858

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata