Public Trustee Register of Releases, 1919-1966

Series

Identifier: Series-152

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

A Deed of Trust is a third-party instrument used to create voluntary liens in real estate. The parties to a Deed of Trust are the the property owner (Grantor), the lender (Beneficiary) and the Public Trustee, who holds certain powers of foreclosure and release.

A recorded (by the County Clerk and Recorder) Deed of Trust is a legal record of the lien against the owner’s property. When recorded, a Deed of Trust creates a lien against the Grantor’s property. When the terms of the Deed of Trust are satisfied, a request of Release of Deed of Trust must be recorded to remove the lien from the property.

A Release of Deed of Trust is a document signed and executed by the current beneficiary of a Deed of Trust. The release form is submitted to the Public Trustee’s Office. The purpose of the release is to remove all or a portion of the property from the lien created by the Deed of Trust.

The Public Trustee's Register of Releases list the date, transaction (release), name of grantor, name of note holder making the request, description of the property conveyed, book and page numbers where recorded, dollar amount involved and fees collected.

(From www.jeffco.us/2347/Release-Deed-of-Trust, accessed May 22, 2020)the Jefferson County Public Trustee's website.

Dates

Record Keeping: 1919-1966

Creator

Jefferson County (Colo.). Public Trustee (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Archives collection material is non-circulating, requires staff retrieval and is available for use by appointment in the reading room.

Biographical / Historical

Colorado is the only state in the Union with a Public Trustee system in place. The Governor of Colorado appoints the Jefferson County Public Trustee. All actions of the Office are strictly governed by Chapter 38 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Duties consist of:

1. Administration of Deeds of Trust within the county that name the Public Trustee as Trustee. This includes releasing Deeds of Trust when a loan has been satisfied and foreclosing on Deeds of Trust in the event of default. The Deed of Trust is an agreement between the Grantor (owner), the Public Trustee (who has the power of sale) and the Beneficiary (lender).

2. The Public Trustee is also responsible for the collection of tax accounts for Land Purchase Contracts for Deed within the County.

(Information above aken from "Why a Public Trustee," by Margaret Chapman, Historically Jeffco magazine, 2011)

Extent

4.25 Cubic Feet (17 Volumes) : Bound

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred to the Archives by the Public Trustee's office in 1999

Related Materials

Series 151: Public Trustee Foreclosure Registers; Series 153: Public Trustee Record of Election and Demand; Series 154: Public Trustee Foreclosure Files