A. After fifteen years from the date an instrument affecting title to real estate is recorded, no action shall be brought for recovery of the real estate because:
(1) the instrument was not signed by the proper officer of a corporation;
(2) the record does not show any authorization for the instrument by the board of directors or stockholders, or both, of a corporation;
(3) the instrument was executed by a corporation:
(a) that had been dissolved;
(b) whose articles of incorporation had expired;
(c) whose certificate of incorporation had been cancelled or revoked; or
(d) whose certificate of authority to transact business in this state had been revoked or withdrawn;
(4) the executor, administrator, guardian, assignee, receiver, master, agent or trustee or other agency making the instrument signed or acknowledged it individually rather than in his representative or official capacity;
(5) the instrument was executed by a trustee without record of judicial or other determination of his authority or of the verity of the facts recited in the instrument;
(6) the officer, who took the acknowledgment of the instrument and who had an official seal, did not affix his seal or show the date of the expiration of his commission on the certificate of acknowledgment; or
(7) the wording of the consideration in the instrument may or might create an implied lien, other than an express vendor's lien, in favor of the grantor.
B. If the action is not barred by limitation or otherwise and if the instrument is of record fourteen years or more prior to the effective date of this section, no action for the recovery of real estate because of any defect listed in Subsection A shall be brought after one year from the effective date of this section.
C. If any person, who is entitled to bring an action for the recovery of real estate is imprisoned, of unsound mind or under the age of majority when the cause of action first accrues, the time for commencing the action by such person is extended one year after the termination of the disability. No cumulative disability shall prevent the bar of the limitation of this section. This subsection applies only to disabilities that existed when the cause of action first accrued.
D. This section does not apply to:
(1) forged instruments; or
(2) instruments given by any community land grant corporation, as defined by law; or
(3) actions that were pending or that were determined prior to July 1, 1971.
History: 1953 Comp., § 23-1-27, enacted by Laws 1971, ch. 313, § 1; 1973, ch. 138, § 16.
Severability. — Laws 1971, ch. 313, § 2, provided for the severability of the act if any part or application thereof is held invalid.
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 13 Am. Jur. 2d Cancellation of Instruments § 44; 51 Am. Jur. 2d §§ 119, 120, 182 to 193.
Estoppel to rely on statute of limitations, 130 A.L.R. 8, 24 A.L.R.2d 1413.
Fences as factor in fixing location of boundary line - modern cases, 7 A.L.R.4th 53.
Slander of title: sufficiency of plaintiff's interest in real property to maintain action, 86 A.L.R.4th 738.
54 C.J.S. Limitations of Actions §§ 32, 40 to 46.
Structure New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 37 - Limitation of Actions; Abatement and Revivor
Article 1 - Limitations of Actions
Section 37-1-3 - Notes; written instruments; period of limitation; computation of period.
Section 37-1-5 - Actions for wage and hour violations.
Section 37-1-6 - [Accrual of cause of action on open accounts.]
Section 37-1-8 - Actions against sureties on fiduciary bonds; injuries to person or reputation.
Section 37-1-9 - [Effect of absence from state or concealment of debtor.]
Section 37-1-10 - Minors; incapacitated persons.
Section 37-1-11 - [Effect of death.]
Section 37-1-12 - [When commencement of action stayed or prevented.]
Section 37-1-13 - [When action deemed commenced.]
Section 37-1-14 - [When second suit deemed continuation of first action.]
Section 37-1-15 - [Setoffs or counterclaims not barred; defendant not to receive excess.]
Section 37-1-16 - Revival of causes of action.
Section 37-1-17 - [Other statutes prescribing limitations unaffected.]
Section 37-1-18 - [Limitations not to run against trust actions fraudulently concealed.]
Section 37-1-19 - [Applicability of limitations.]
Section 37-1-20 - [No sale upon mortgages, etc., when action barred.]
Section 37-1-23 - Contractual liability; statute of limitations.
Section 37-1-24 - Suits against municipalities or their officers.
Section 37-1-25 - [Suit, etc., on municipal and other local governmental bonds or coupons.]
Section 37-1-26 - [Questioning of privilege or franchise granted by municipal corporation.]
Section 37-1-27 - Construction projects; limitation on actions for defective or unsafe conditions.
Section 37-1-28 - Real estate; limitation on actions for defects of title.
Section 37-1-29 - Limitation [on parent-child relationship determination].
Section 37-1-30 - Action for damages due to childhood sexual abuse; limitation on actions.