By Catherine Reagor | Arizona Republic
Challenges to property deeds in Arizona cities and towns must typically be made within five years, even if forgery could be involved, according to a new Arizona Supreme Court ruling.
The April 16 ruling came out of a case that involved two family members arguing over who owned a Maricopa County piece of land. Renee Dominguez had a deed recorded in her name and had been paying taxes on the parcel for more than five years. Her mother-in-law, Magdalena Rios De Dominguez, argued the deed was fake and that she owned the land.
The main question in the case was whether Arizona’s law giving people five years to challenge property ownership applies even if a deed might be forged.
The Supreme Court decision said it does and that any deed that looks valid counts under this law, even if someone later says it was forged.
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