California Codes, Civil Code - CIV, Division 2 — Property, Part 3 — Personal or Movable Property, Title 2 — Particular Kinds of Personal Property, Chapter 4 — Other Kinds of Personal Property, Section 994
Instruments essential to the title of real property, and which are not kept in a public office as a record, pursuant to law, belong to the person in whom, for the time being, such title may be vested, and pass with the title.
Notes
Establishes that instruments essential to title to real property, when not lawfully kept as public records, belong to the person currently holding that title. Those instruments pass with the title when ownership changes, so possession of the title carries ownership of the essential nonpublic title instruments as well.
Use as reference
Lexinter.net | California Code, Civil Code - CIV § 994 | https://laws.lexinter.net/codes/california/civil-code/division-2/part-3/title-2/chapter-4/section-994