Page:North Dakota Reports (vol. 48).pdf/241

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MORIN v. DIVIDE CO. AB. CO.
217

to show the same upon the abstract forms the basis of this action. An action was brought by the executor of the last will and testament of Lars J. Sloviken to set aside the foreclosure proceedings and the sheriff’s deed on the ground that the foreclosure proceedings were void. A trial thereof resulted in a judgment annulling the sheriff’s deed. Morin thereupon brought this action against the defendant abstract company, claiming that the damages he had sustained were occasioned by the failure of the defendant to show upon the abstract the assignment of mortgage from M. E. Wilson & Co. to S. E. Olcott.

It appears from the evidence that the defendant abstract company is in a sense affiliated with the Westergaard-Blair Company, and that upon the organization of Divide county the defendant obtained from the latter company a complete set of books such as are kept by abstract companies, showing the title to lands in Williams county up to the date of the organization of Divide county. In continuing the abstract defendant relied on such books, and made no examination or search of the transcribed records which had been filed in the office of the register of deeds of Divide county. It is earnestly contended that the assignment of mortgage was not entitled to record in Williams county, or rather that the record thereof in such county did not constitute notice as to lands then in Divide county; that the defendant was justified in believing that no instruments would appear of record in the transcribed records except such as were filed prior to the organization of Divide county; and that the defendant was not guilty of negligence in failing to search the transcribed records.

The duty of an abstracter is to make a painstaking examination of the records and set forth in the abstracts all the facts relating to the title under investigation. He is not called on for professional opinions as to any of the matters reported. 1 R.C. L. p. 92. It is not for him to determine whether instruments of record are valid or invalid, or whether they were or were not entitled to record. His duty is to set forth the facts relating to the title as shown by the records; and he is liable for “any and all damages that may be sustained by or accrue to any person by reason or on account of any error, deficiency or mistake in any abstract or certificate of title * * * made and issued” by him. § 3090, C. L. 1913.

Section 3211, C. L. 1913, provides:

“When a new county is organized in whole or in part from an organized county or from territory attached to such * * * county for judicial