Effective 28 Aug 1941

242.610. Action instituted against whom — notice filed, effect. — 1. Whenever any drainage or levee district heretofore or hereafter organized or reorganized and existing under any of the drainage or levee laws of the state of Missouri, shall hereafter institute an action, in the manner now provided by law, to enforce the collection of unpaid delinquent annual assessments levied by it, such district shall cause said action to be instituted against the last record owner or owners of the land against which the delinquent assessments sued for were levied, as shown by the records in the recorder's office of the county in which the land is located and shall also join as parties defendant the trustee and beneficiaries shown by all recorded deeds of trust, mortgages or vendors' liens, which create a lien on the land involved in any such suit that may be instituted and no other parties shall be necessary or required, except as herein provided.

2. On the same day that any such action shall be filed for and in behalf of any such district, its attorney, so filing such action, shall also file in the recorder's office of the county where such land is located, a written notice, verified by him showing in tabulated form, the docket number of each of the respective suits that may be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court, the name of the plaintiff district, the names of all defendants in each suit filed, a description of the land included in each suit, the years in which the delinquent assessments were levied and the amount then due on each parcel of land described in said notice, when such suit was filed. Such notice shall be filed by the recorder and recorded by him in a well-bound book as other instruments are recorded in his office. The recorder shall be entitled to a fee of one dollar for filing and recording such notice, to be paid by district filing same. Such notice, when so filed, shall constitute due and proper notice to all parties, except those required to be made parties defendant as herein provided, then having or asserting, or who may subsequently acquire or assert any right, title, claim or interest in and to said land, of the filing of said suit to enforce the collection of said special assessments, irrespective of whether any such parties then hold unrecorded conveyances affecting the title to the land included in such suit, including an assignment of any note secured by deed of trust, mortgage or vendors' lien on the said land, or whether they have acquired by conveyances some such right, title, claim and interest in and to said land, or an assignment of any note secured by deed of trust, mortgage or vendors' lien on said land, subsequent to the filing of said notice.

3. If anyone shall, at the time of filing such suit and notice, hold an unrecorded instrument or conveyance affecting the title to the land included in such suit or if anyone shall acquire any such right, title, claim or interest in and to said land so included in any such suit, after the filing of said suit and notice, or if anyone shall become the assignee of notes secured by deeds of trust, mortgages or vendors' liens on the land included in any such suit, each of them shall have the right and it shall be their duty to intervene as parties defendant in any such suit so filed on or before the first day of the return term of the summons issued when said suit is filed, and make defense to said suit, if they so desire. Upon their failure so to do, they shall be bound by any judgment that may be rendered by the court in any said suit just as though they had been joined as defendants and served with process therein and their interest, if any, along with the interest of all named defendants in and to said land shall, if judgment be rendered for plaintiff, be sold on execution in the manner now provided by law and all the right, title, claim and interest of all parties in and to said land, shall pass to and be acquired by the purchaser of said land at the execution sale based upon the judgment obtained in said suit, unless said delinquent assessments so sued for shall have been previously paid.

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(L. 1941 p. 351 § 1)