11-17-1 - Proceedings to confirm tax title.
§ 11-17-1. Proceedings to confirm tax title.
Any person holding or claiming under a tax title lands heretofore or hereafter sold for taxes, when the period of redemption has expired, may proceed by sworn complaint in the chancery court to have such title confirmed and quieted, and shall set forth in his complaint his claim under the tax sale, and the names and places of residence of all persons interested in the land, so far as known to plaintiff, or as he can ascertain by diligent inquiry. Where the names of persons in interest or their places of residence are unknown and have not been ascertained by diligent inquiry, the complaint shall so state. Where the name and places of residence of persons in interest are given they shall be made parties defendant. Where the complaint shall show that the persons interested are unknown to plaintiff and that he has made diligent inquiry for their names and could not obtain them, all persons interested may be made defendants by a notice addressed: "To all persons having or claiming any interest in the following described land, sold for taxes on (inserting date of sale), viz: (Describing land as described in the tax collector's conveyance)." The notice shall state the nature of the suit and it shall be published in accordance with the requirements of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. It shall be lawful in all cases to set forth in the complaint the names of all persons interested, as far as ascertained, and make them parties and also to join and make defendants "all persons having or claiming any legal or equitable interest in" the lands described in the complaint. Such suits shall be proceeded with as other cases; and if the complaints be taken for confessed, or if it appear that plaintiff is entitled to a judgment, it shall be rendered, confirming the tax title against all persons claiming to hold the land by title existing at the time of the sale for taxes. Such judgment shall vest in the plaintiff, without any conveyance by a master or commissioner, a good and sufficient title to said land; and such judgment shall, in all courts of this state, be held as conclusive evidence that the title to said land was vested in the plaintiff, as against all persons claiming the same under the title existing prior to the sale for taxes.
Sources: Codes, 1871, § 1753; 1880, § 578; 1892, § 498; 1906, § 548; Hemingway's 1917, § 305; Laws, 1924, ch. 151; 1930, § 402; 1942, § 1314; Laws, 1991, ch. 573, § 32, eff from and after July 1, 1991.