Quit Claim Deed Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Quit Claim Deed, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Quit Claim Deed?

(v) Quit claim deed is the expression of granting an interest in a property without assigning any specific right or ownership in such property

History and Meaning of Quit Claim Deed

A Quit Claim Deed is a legal document in which an individual relinquishes their claim to a property to another person, without any warranties or guarantees to their right to do so. Quit Claim Deeds are often used when transferring property between family members or spouses, or to clear up any potential issues with title. This type of deed does not guarantee that the property is free of liens or other encumbrances.

The history of Quit Claim Deeds can be traced back to common law in medieval times, when land transfers were much less formal than they are today. In England, land was often transferred through a ceremony known as livery of seisin, where the parties involved would symbolically transfer a piece of land with a twig or key. As land ownership became more formalized, written deeds replaced these ceremonies, but the concept of transferring all rights and interest in a property remained.

Examples of Quit Claim Deed

  1. A married couple decides to transfer their jointly owned rental property to one spouse's name, using a Quit Claim Deed to transfer ownership without a sale.

  2. A family member inherits a property, and another family member signs a Quit Claim Deed to relinquish any claims they may have to the property.

  3. A property owner wants to add their child's name to the deed, and uses a Quit Claim Deed to transfer partial ownership to the child.

Legal Terms Similar to Quit Claim Deed

  1. Warranty Deed - a legal document in which the seller guarantees that they have the right to transfer the property, and that there are no outstanding claims or liens against it.

  2. Grant Deed - a document that transfers property from the seller to the buyer, without any warranties or guarantees as to the status of the property.

  3. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure - a document that allows the borrower to voluntarily transfer ownership of the property to the lender, in order to avoid formal foreclosure proceedings.