Chap. 43.—An ACT conferring upon courts of equity the power to entertain
suits for the removal of clouds upon the title to real estate created by tax
sales or deeds, made in pursuance of the statutes provided for the sale of real
estate for the non-payment of taxes thereon.

Approved February 15, 1908.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That whenever
the legal or equitable owner of real estate in the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia, whether such legal or equitable owner be in or out of possession
thereof, shall file a bill in equity in the circuit court of the county, or
the chancery court, or the law and equity of the city of Richmond, or
the corporation, or circuit court of the corporation, wherein such real
estate or any part thereof is situated, against the purchaser, his assignee
or devisee, or any one claiming under him, setting out that the said
land has been sold or conveyed for the non-payment of taxes alleged to
have been due thereon, and praying for the removal of the cloud upon
the title to said land by reason of such sale or conveyance, it shall be
the duty of the court, after seeing that all proper parties are before it,
to hear and determine their respective rights, and declare such tax sale
or deed valid or invalid, as to it shall seem right and proper under the
pleadings and evidence in the case; and should any conflict arise at
such hearing between the rules of law and the rules of equity, the same
shall be determined according to the rules of equity.