Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

You should have recorded the quitclaim before paying the fees. I would recommend you also record a repudiation of the "wild" deed. A deed is not valid if not delivered and accepted. So the deed your father recorded was not valid. A recorded repudiation of that deed, specifically referencing the recording information (e.g. instrument number, or book and page) of the invalid deed, followed by recording a quitclaim deed and delivering it to your father's widow, should be sufficient to clear your name from the current title to the property.

I agree with Mr. McCormick in the sense that a deed is not valid if not delivered. You're a little sketchy on the delivery, as it seems that your father recorded a deed in your favor without actually giving it to you. This creates a presumption of delivery, which may have to be rescinded.

I disagree with Mr. McCormik, on his use of the term "wild' deed, which has nothing to do with your case, but can confuse others who look at the answers on lawguru for guidance. A wild deed is the first deed recorded after an unrecorded deed, which makes it difficult to trace title when working backward through the grantor/ grantee index.