In Re Seick

Prior to June 27, 1917, Xenophon Bouris was, and is, the “registered owner” of a lot in Los Angeles County, registered under the land title law, an initiative measure adopted by the people at the election of November 3, 1915 (Stats. 1915, p. 1932), whereby a system for the registration of land titles is provided. This law is of the class commonly known as Torrens laws, the designation being taken from the name of Sir Robert Torrens, by whom the first Torrens law, enacted in South Australia in 1858, was drawn. On June 27, 1917, the county tax collector sold the lot in question to the state by declaring it sold and making on the delinquent assessment list the entry “Sold to the State,” as provided by section 3771 of the Political Code. He did not, however, file with the county registrar of titles any notice of such sale within five days thereafter, as required by section 77 of the land title law.

The Torrens law provides a complete scheme of procedure whereby, as the result of a decree of court in a proceeding inaugurated by petition filed by the owner, any land may be brought under the operation of the act. The purpose of the law is that there shall be in the county registrar’s…