706.057 Lapse and reversion of interests in minerals. (1) APPLICABILITY. This section does not apply to an interest in minerals which is owned by the same person who owns the fee simple interest in the surface of the land above the interest in minerals. (2) USE OF AN INTEREST IN MINERALS. In this section, an interest in minerals is used if any of the following occur: (a) Any minerals are mined in exploitation of the interest in minerals. (b) A conveyance of mineral interests is recorded under this chapter. (c) Any other conveyance evidencing a transaction by which the interest in minerals is created, aliened, reserved, mortgaged or assigned is recorded under this chapter. (d) Property taxes are paid on the interest in minerals by the owner of the interest in minerals. (e) The owner of the interest in minerals records a statement of claim under sub. (4) or (5) concerning the interest in minerals. (3) LAPSE. (a) Except as provided in par. (b) or (c), an interest in minerals lapses if the interest in minerals was not used during the previous 20 years. (b) An interest in minerals which was not used during the 20year period prior to July 1, 1984, does not lapse if the interest in minerals is used within 3 years after July 1, 1984. (c) An interest in minerals which was used during the period from 17 to 20 years prior to July 1, 1984, does not lapse if the interest in minerals is used within 3 years after July 1, 1984. (4) STATEMENT OF CLAIM; RECORDING; REQUIREMENTS. If the owner of an interest in minerals uses the interest in minerals by recording a statement of claim, the statement of claim shall comply with this subsection. The statement of claim shall contain the name and address of the owner of the interest in minerals, a description of the location and boundary of the interest in minerals and a reference to the recorded instrument which created the interest in minerals. The statement of claim shall be recorded with the register of deeds for the county in which the interest in minerals is located. (5) CURE OF LAPSE. The lapse of an interest in minerals under sub. (3) is cured if the owner of the interest in minerals records a statement of claim complying with all of the requirements of sub. (4) before the surface owner records a statement of claim under sub. (6) (a) or before a statement of claim takes effect under sub. (6) (b) 1., whichever is later. (6) CLAIM OF LAPSED INTEREST IN MINERALS. (a) The owner of the land under which an interest in minerals exists may claim that portion of a lapsed interest in minerals which lies beneath the owner’s land by recording a statement of claim. The statement of claim shall contain the name and address of the owner of the land under which the lapsed interest in minerals is located and a description of the land under which the interest in minerals is located. The statement of claim shall be recorded with the register of deeds for the county in which the land is located. (b) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a statement of claim which is recorded under par. (a) before the lapse of the interest in minerals to which the claim applies takes effect when the interest in minerals lapses. 2. A statement of claim which is recorded under par. (a) before the lapse of the interest in minerals to which the claim applies is void 6 years after the statement of claim is recorded if the interest in minerals does not lapse within that 6-year period. (7) STATEMENT OF CLAIM; RECORDING; REGISTER OF DEEDS’ DUTY. The register of deeds shall provide copies of the uniform form for statements of claim under subs. (4), (5) and (6). Upon receipt of a statement of claim under sub. (4), (5) or (6) in the office of the register of deeds, the register of deeds shall record the claim in a manner which will permit the existence of an interest in minerals to be determined by reference to the parcel or parcels of land above the interest in minerals. The claimant shall pay the recording fee under s. 59.43 (2). (9) DETERMINATION OF OWNERSHIP. (a) The owner of an interest in minerals which is the subject of a claim under sub. (6) (a), within 3 years after the claim is recorded with the register of deeds or within 3 years after the claim takes effect as provided under sub. (6) (b) 1., whichever is later, may bring an action for a declaratory judgment or declaration of interest on the ownership of the interest in minerals. The action shall be commenced in the circuit court in the county where the interest in minerals is located. (b) 1. If the court finds that the owner of the interest in minerals used the interest in minerals within the time limits specified under sub. (3) or that the owner of the interest in minerals recorded a claim under sub. (5) before the surface owner recorded a claim under sub. (6) (a) or before the claim took effect as provided under sub. (6) (b) 1., whichever is later, the court shall issue a judgment declaring that the interest in minerals is not lapsed. 2. If the court finds that the owner of the interest in minerals did not use the interest in minerals within the time limits specified under sub. (3) and did not record the claim under sub. (5) before the surface owner recorded the claim under sub. (6) (a) or before the claim took effect as provided under sub. (6) (b) 1. whichever is later, the court shall issue a judgment affirming the surface owner’s claim. (c) Upon the issuance of a judgment affirming the surface owner’s claim or, if no action is brought under par. (a), at the end of the 3-year period after the surface owner’s claim is recorded or at the end of the 3-year period after the claim takes effect as provided under sub. (6) (b) 1., whichever is later, the ownership of the interest in minerals reverts to the owner of the land under which the lapsed interest in minerals is located and title to the interest in minerals is merged with the title to the surface of the land. (10) WAIVER; LIMITATION. No person may waive or agree to waive the provisions of this section and any waiver or agreement of this type is void.
706.08
History: 1971 c. 211; 1973 c. 243; 1979 c. 110; 1983 a. 492 s. 3; 1993 a. 486; 2001 a. 103; 2019 a. 125.
law shall be void as against any subsequent purchaser, in good faith and for a valuable consideration, of the same real estate or any portion of the same real estate whose conveyance is recorded first. (b) A conveyance of mineral interests which is not recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the land is located, within 30 days after it is signed by the lessor, is void. (2) Where a public tract index or abstract of title index is maintained, an instrument properly indexed therein and recorded at length at the place there shown shall be deemed to be duly recorded for purposes of this section, despite any error or omission in the process of including the instrument, or prior instruments in the same chain of title, in other records. Where an instrument is not properly indexed in such tract or abstract of title index, or where such index is not publicly maintained, the instrument shall be deemed to be duly recorded only if the instrument, together with prior instruments necessary to trace title by use of alphabetical indexes by names of parties, are properly indexed in such alphabetical indexes, and recorded at length at the places there shown. Wherever an instrument is duly recorded hereunder, its record shall be effective as of the date and hour at which it is shown by the general index to have been accepted for record. (3) When an express trust is created, but its existence is not disclosed in a recorded conveyance to the trustee, the title of the trustee shall be deemed absolute as against the subsequent creditors of the trustee not having notice of the trust and as against purchasers from such trustee without notice and for a valuable consideration. (4) It shall be conclusively presumed that a person is a trustee of a valid express trust and has full power of conveyance if all of the following occur: (a) The person is designated as trustee and holds an interest in land as trustee. (b) The person’s authority and powers as trustee are not set forth in a recorded instrument. (c) The person conveys an interest in land as trustee to a good faith purchaser, as defined in s. 401.201 (2) (qm). (5) When a conveyance purports to be absolute in terms, but is made or intended to be made defeasible by force of another instrument for that purpose, the original conveyance shall not be thereby defeated or affected as against any person other than the maker of the defeasance or the maker’s heirs or devisees or persons having actual notice thereof, unless the instrument of defeasance has been recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county where the lands lie. (6) The recording of an assignment of a mortgage shall not in itself be deemed notice of such assignment to the mortgagor so as to invalidate any payment made to the mortgagee without actual notice of such assignment. (7) No letter of attorney or other instrument containing a power to convey lands, when executed and recorded under this chapter, shall be deemed to be revoked by any act of the party by whom it was executed unless the instrument containing such revocation is also recorded in the same office in which the instrument containing the power was recorded, and such record shall import notice to all persons, including the agent named in said letter of attorney of the contents thereof. The death of the party executing such letter of attorney shall not operate as a revocation thereof as to the attorney or agent until the attorney or agent has notice of the death, or as to one who without notice of such death in good faith deals with the attorney or agent.