Land Office Procedures

Even though the practice in processing can fluctuate depending on the specific circumstances and case, the land office procedures are quite routine and this is a general outline of the steps that are typically carried out in the Land Office, and which are needed and incidental for the processing of a mineral patent application. When reception has been provided, the application of a patent will be scanned for adequacy and compliance with the statute and the laws. If it is seen that this information is not complete, the applicant will be told so and will be allowed a proper amount of time to take care of the problem. The status of the land will be looked into by the Land Office. If everything is in its place, the record will then be passed over to the Office of the Solicitor for a heading judgment. Usually further processing will no longer be required until the time the full title is shown unless that is, full possessory title is vested in the patent applicant. After the application is complete and the full possessory title evidence is complete, and everything is regulated, the Land Office Manager will want to look over the projected publication for exactness. If there are any mistakes that need to be taken care of, the publisher will be told about it, and then the accurate notice will need to be published for the complete period required as though the first publication had not been made. If the publisher is to blame, he will be responsible for any additional expenses. The government will take care of handling the extra charge if the mistake is the responsibility of the Land Office. When having received approval of the Poof of Publication and Posting, the record will then be checked one more time to make sure it is completed. All of the appropriate fees will need to be paid for by applicant and the statement of the publisher stating that the publication is done will need to be filed. The statement in which the applicant shows the notice of the application was posted on the claim for the whole sixty day period needs to be shown. Then if there is not any adverse claim, after the buying price has been paid, Final Certificate of Mineral Entry will then be issued.