Chap. 792.—An ACT to validate acknowledgments to deeds, leases, and con-
tracts taken by certain commissioners in chancery of the county courts
of this state or the judges thereof.

Approved March 6, 1900.

Whereas since the passage of the acts of assembly of April second,
eighteen hundred and seventy-two, transferring the chancery jurisdic-
tion of the county courts to the circuit courts, some of the county
courts of this state, or the judges thereof, have appointed commissioners
in chancery of said county courts; and

Whereas numerous conveyances of land in many of the counties have
been acknowledged before and certified by commissioners in chancery
60 appointed; and

Whereas a doubt has arisen as to the authority of such commissioners
to take and certify acknowledgments to deeds, leases, and contracts;
therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That all cer-
tificates of acknowledgments of deeds, leases, or contracts of or re-
lating to lands, wholly or partly in anv of the counties of this state,
heretofore made before and certified by commissioners in chancery
appointed by the county courts, as aforesaid, or by the judges thereof,
if said certificates be otherwise valid according to the law then in force,
shall be held as valid and effective in all respects. This act shall be
given a retrospective effect whenever necessary in ordes to carrv out
the intent hereof, which is hereby declared to be to make all the
acknowledgments above mentioned as effective and valid as if they had
been made before and certified by an officer having undoubted authority
to take and certify acknowledgments to deeds and contracts.
2. This act shall be in force from its passage.