CHAP. 152.—An ACT to validate and hold firm and binding the receipt,
recordation and verification of deeds, orders of probate, fiduciary ac-
counts, and other papers and writings received into the clerk’s offices
of the courts of this Commonwealth by the clerks thereof, and tran-
scribed upon the record books in said offices, though the receipt, re-
cordation and verification certificates attached thereto have not re-
ceived the attesting signatures of the said clerks, and to provide
for the attesting and verification of the same.

Approved March 12, 1912.

Whereas, in many of the clerk’s offices of the various courts
of this commonwealth deeds, orders of probate, fiduciary ac-
counts, and other papers and writings have been received by the
clerks thereof, and have been transcribed in the proper book, or
books, provided by law for the transcribing and recordation of
the same, but through sickness or death of said clerks, or from
other causes, the certificates of such receipt and recordation have
not received the attesting signatures of the said clerks, and have
not been verified as required by section thirty-one hundred and
eighty-five of the Code of Virginia, and in many instances the
original of said papers have been misplaced and cannot now be
found, and many owners of land, thinking their deeds have been
properly recorded and verified, are unaware of this failure of the
clerks to so receive, record and verify the same; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
all deeds, orders of probate, fiduciary accounts, and all other pap-
ers and writings heretofore received by any clerk of any court
of this commonwealth, and transcribed, or purported to be tran-
scribed in the proper book or books in said clerk’s office, provided
by law for the transcribing and recordation of such deeds, or-
ders of probate, fiduciary accounts, or other papers and writings,
the certificate of such receipt and of recordation has not received
the attesting signature of such clerk, and which has not been
verified as required by section thirty-one hundred and eighty-
five of the Code of Virginia, shall prima facie be, and deemed to
be as truly received, recorded and verified as if the same had been
so attested by the signature of the said clerk.

2. That it shall be the duty of every clerk of any court of
this commonwealth, in whose office any such deed, order of pro-
bate, fiduciary account, or other paper or writing, as is men-
tioned in section one of this act, has been transcribed upon the
proper book or books in said office, provided by law therefor, and
which transcription has not received the attesting signature of
the clerk who recorded the same, upon production before such
clerk of the original of said deed, order of probate, fiduciary
account, or paper or writing, to verify the accuracy of such
transcription by a careful examination and comparison of such
transcription with the original paper so recorded, and thereupon
the said clerk shall attest said transcription by signing thereto
the name of the clerk who received the said original paper for
record and his own name as follows:
“Teste :_—__—__, former clerk, per
—_____________—., his: successor.”’

And likewise shall note such verification and the date thereof
upon the margin of the record, and for such service the said
clerk shall receive a fee of twenty-five cents, to be paid by the
person upon whose request the service was performed, and the
said record, so certified and verified, shall have the same effect
as if it had been properly certified and verified by the clerk who
received the same, and who should have so certified and verified
the same.

3. This act shall have a retroactive effect, and an emergen-
cy existing, this act shall be in force from its passage.