California Surveyors Forums

I saw a book several years ago regarding "deeds I wish I never saw" or something like that. I thought some folks would appreciate the attached. Every time I read it, it brings a chuckle. Then again I amuse easily.

Enjoy.

Well I think they got their moneys worth.

That thing was great. What amazes me is it is a recorded instrument. Anyone else have any?

A guy in our office found this doing some research one day. I'm sure a few of you have seen something like this before. I keep it around to laugh at every now and again.

I was told by the County surveyor to "describe" my survey on my RS. So I figured if they had trouble with numbers, letters would be a real issue, but I proceeded in a Dick and Jane fashion.


Want to see something really scary, read the lesson plans for deed description writing for a Real Estate license.

Or, the Texas attorneys that require that a lot and block description be written as a meets and bounds.

I was relaying the number of errors in deeds rewritten due to resale in the 1980's and 1990's to a title co exec friend. His reply was, "If you knew how little we pay those people you would understand".

We need a little levity every now and then. I remember years ago running into an old school draftsman who used to do odd things with north arrows. He would show them to me and some were rather shicking when you studied them close.

We worked together about 30 years ago. He used to place notes on city aproved - public right of way plans such as: "There is a $5.00 reward for anyone who reads this note. Please call 555-5555 to collect your money." Needless to say, I did not think this was very smart but they were not my plans. I tried. And oh yes, they were prepared "under the direction" of our civil engineer who sadly never read the stuff he signed.

And "page two of the two."

That one is the best of them all! It would be neat if the Cal-Surveyor were to publish these. They are simply priceless.

Here's some info on the King Solomon document:

http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-10-30 ... -sentenced

An ex-con who filed bogus grant deeds with the county Recorder’s Office on six properties he claimed he owned was sentenced Friday to two years and eight months in prison.

Maurice Antoine Simmons, 32, was convicted Aug. 31 of 15 counts, including filing and possessing false documents and forgery.

Prosecutor Marlene Coyne unsuccessfully urged Judge Stephanie Sontag to sentence Simmons to eight years and four months behind bars.

Coyne said Simmons and co-defendant King Solomon II, also known as Terry Lee Herron, would lay claim to properties that were in default, foreclosure or where the owners were behind in their payments.

The prosecutor said Simmons committed the fraud while he was out on bail on another criminal case and had convictions dating back to 1991 for assault with a firearm, when he was a juvenile.

Simmons was also convicted in 1998 of making a criminal threat. He went back to prison in 2002 when he was found in violation of parole for having a loaded weapon, Coyne said. She said Simmons showed great “braggadocioâ€￾ by testifying that he had the right to claim the properties if they weren’t cared for.

“He’s remorseless,â€￾ the prosecutor said. “That should matter for something.â€￾

Defense attorney Jeff Carver said Simmons had a legitimate belief that he had a right to file the grant deeds on the troubled properties in Chula Vista and San Diego.

“He was incorrect,â€￾ Carver told the judge, noting Simmons paid $5,000 to get into the program to claim the properties under the guise of a religious order known as the Sovereign Solomon Brothers Archbishop Corporation Sole.

Carver said Simmons made no effort to hide what he was doing. But for the defendant’s criminal record, Sontag said she might be inclined to place him on probation.

“I can’t ignore the criminal history,â€￾ the judge said. Solomon faces a retrial Nov. 16. A jury deadlocked after his first trial.

This story was written and edited by City News Service staff.