Legal Definitions - elder title

An elder title is a legal term that refers to a title of earlier date that takes precedence over a title of newer origin. This means that even though a newer title may exist, the elder title still holds more weight and authority.

For example, let's say that John owns a piece of land and sells it to Jane. Later, John sells the same piece of land to Tom. In this case, Jane's title would be considered the elder title because she acquired the land first. Even though Tom has a newer title, Jane's title would take precedence over his.

Another example would be in a family inheritance situation. If a grandfather leaves his property to his son and then later changes his will to leave the property to his grandson, the son's title would be considered the elder title because he inherited the property first. Even though the grandson has a newer title, the son's title would still hold more weight.

These examples illustrate how an elder title can override a newer title, even if the newer title was acquired through legal means.