Section 29-1-81 - Issuance of patents and contracts(1) All conveyances of land by the state in fee shall be by patent issued from the Secretary of State's office; every patent issued shall be under the great seal, signed by the Secretary of State.(2)(a) The patent shall be issued by the Office of the Secretary of State and delivered to the patentee. A copy thereof shall be retained by the Secretary of State among the records of his office.(b) The Secretary of State may file the original patent with the chancery clerk and such filing shall constitute the delivery of the patent to the patentee. Prior to filing the original patent, the Secretary of State shall collect from the patentee a fee in an amount equal to the fee provided for in Section 25-7-9(1)(b) to cover the cost of filing the patent. Failure of the Secretary of State to file the patent shall not affect its validity.(3) All contracts of sale of public lands shall be issued from the Secretary of State's office in duplicate; and every contract issued shall be under the great seal, signed by the Secretary of State and countersigned by the Governor.(4) No more than one-quarter (1/4) section of land shall be embraced in the same patent or contract, except as otherwise provided by law.Codes, 1892, § 2561; 1906, § 2899; Hemingway's 1917, § 5234; 1930, § 6024; 1942, § 4106; Laws, 1936, ch. 174; Laws, 1942, ch. 235; Laws, 1978, ch. 458, § 22; Laws, 1990, ch. 420, § 2; Laws, 2003, ch. 331, § 2, eff. 7/1/2003.Amended by Laws, 2020, ch. 358, HB 1332,§ 1, eff. 6/25/2020.Amended by Laws, 2016, ch. 414, SB 2111, 4, eff. 7/1/2016.