Legal Definitions - convey

To convey, in a legal context, means to formally transfer ownership or a specific legal right from one person or entity to another. This act most commonly applies to property, such as real estate, but can also involve other types of legal interests or rights. The formal transaction itself is known as a conveyance. The individual or entity making the transfer is referred to as the conveyor, and the one receiving the interest is the conveyee. This process typically requires formal documentation, such as a deed, to be legally effective.

• Example 1: Selling a Residential Property

  Imagine a homeowner, Sarah, decides to sell her house to a new buyer, Mark. When Sarah signs the deed and transfers it to Mark at closing, she is legally conveying the ownership of the house to him. The deed serves as the formal document that records this transfer of property interest from Sarah (the conveyor) to Mark (the conveyee).

• Example 2: Granting an Easement for Access

  Consider a situation where a property owner, Mr. Henderson, has landlocked his neighbor, Ms. Chen, meaning she has no direct access to a public road. To resolve this, Mr. Henderson agrees to allow Ms. Chen to drive across a specific portion of his property. By signing an easement agreement, Mr. Henderson is legally conveying a right-of-way (a specific property interest) to Ms. Chen, allowing her to use his land for access without transferring full ownership of that strip of land.

• Example 3: Transferring Mineral Rights

  A farmer, Mr. Davies, owns a large tract of land. An energy company approaches him, interested in drilling for oil and gas beneath his property. Mr. Davies agrees to sell only the subsurface mineral rights to the company, while retaining ownership of the land's surface. Through a specialized deed, Mr. Davies legally conveys these mineral rights to the energy company. This demonstrates conveying a distinct property interest separate from the surface land ownership.