Deed Title

A Deed Title in Jamaica is an old form of land ownership record, made up of a series of legal documents (deeds and conveyances) instead of a single modern registered title.

Definition

A Deed Title (often called Old Law Title) in Jamaica refers to land ownership documented under the common law deed system, which existed before the introduction of the Registration of Titles Act, 1889. Under this system, ownership of land was proven by showing a continuous chain of deeds, conveyances, wills, or Crown Grants, usually going back at least 40 years.

Key Points

• A deed title is not a Certificate of Title; it is a bundle of historical documents.
• To prove ownership, one had to trace the chain of deeds to establish a “good root of title.”
• This system was often uncertain because documents could be lost, destroyed, or incomplete.
• Since 1889, Jamaica has moved to the Torrens registered title system, where a single Certificate of Title is conclusive proof of ownership.
• Deed titles are still encountered today, but to deal with them (e.g., sell, mortgage), they usually must be converted to a registered title through the National Land Agency (NLA).