CHAP. 46.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 824 of the Code of Vir-
ginia relating to the approval of title to real estate for public uses.

Approved February 20, 1912.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
section eight hundred and twenty-four of the Code of Virginia,
as amended and re-enacted by an act approved December tenth,
nineteen hundred and three (Acts of nineteen hundred and two,
three and four, page six hundred and fifty-six), be amended and
re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§824. Title to real estate for public uses to be approved by
attorney at law; appeal.—Whenever it shall be necessary for
any county, district school trustees, or other public officers of
the county, having authority for the purpose, to purchase real
estate, or acquire title thereto for public uses, the contract there-
for shall be in writing, and the title thereto shall be examined
and approved in writing by a competent and discreet attorney
at law, who shall be designated by the judge of the circuit
court for the circuit wherein thé real estate is located, and such
approval shall be recorded along with the deed, or other papers,
by which the title is conveyed. No such contract shall be valid
unless and until the title to such real estate be thus approved;
and if the attorney who has been designated by the court refuses
to approve the same, the disapproval shall be in writing and
filed with the clerk of the county. The supervisors of the county,
or any five citizens thereof, may, by motion, appeal of right
from the decision of the attorney to the circuit court of the
county, or to the judge thereof in vacation, submitting with said
motion their petition, accompanied with the evidences of title.
Ten days’ notice of such motion shall be given to the said attor-
ney, and from the decision of the said court, or the judge thereof
in vacation, upon said motion, an appeal of right may be taken
by the petitioners to the supreme court of appeals.

The district school trustees, or other public officers of the
county, purchasing real estate, or acquiring title thereto for
public uses, shall pay to the attorney designated by the court
a reasonable compensation for his services, to be fixed by court.