Deeds, Estates and Titles

Deeds and Agreements Creating, Transferring and Terminating Easements and Co-Ownership Interests Including Tenancies In Common and Joint Tenancies; Deeds Separating and Reserving Mineral Estates; Conditional Deeds Subject to Conditions Subsequent With Reversionary Interests; Deeds Creating Life Estates

Oil, Gas and Mineral Interests.

Many landowners wish to retain oil, gas and mineral interests in a property when it is sold or leased or separate the mineral estate from the surface estate for economic reasons. We have prepared many deeds for the conveyance of mineral estates for the purpose of separating mineral estates from surface estates and we often deed those mineral interests to a newly formed separate LLC owned by the same parties in the same percentage interests as they own the surface estate. This separates the mineral estate into a separate parcel which is then retained by the seller/grantor when the surface estate is sold or leased. Alternatively, when the surface estate is sold we include in the conveyance deed a reservation of the mineral estate in the seller/grantor. This also separates the two estates with the mineral estate remaining with the seller/grantor.  With respect to leases, we reserve the lessor's intrest in the mineral estate, exclude the mineral estate from the leased premises and prevent the tenant from mining or drilling activities in, on or under the leased premises.

Deeds Reserving Easements, Conditional Deeds Creating  Reversionary Interests, Deeds Creating Life Estates.

We prepare deeds reserving easements, conditional deeds subject to conditions subsequent creating reversionary interests and deeds creating  life estates. Reversionary interests become effective on the occurance of specified events or upon specific times set forth in the deed.

Real Estate Title Holding, Tenancies In Common, Joint Tenancies, Co-Ownership and Shared Occupancy Agreements.

We counsel clients on methods for holding record title to real estate and draft agreements between co-owners for the management, maintenance, development, transfer and disposition of co-owned real estate. This includes Tenants In Common Agreements, Agreements Between Joint Tenants, transfers of interests between co-owners, adding or deleting co-owners, terminating joint tenancies and related property tax reassessment issues. We also establish plans for the shared occupancy and maintenance of special family residential properties including beach and ranch estates and draft Shared Occupancy Agreements.