706.001 Scope and construction.

(1) Subject to the exclusions in sub. (2), this chapter shall govern every transaction by which any interest in land is created, aliened, mortgaged, assigned or may be otherwise affected in law or in equity.

(2) Excluded from the operation of this chapter are transactions which an interest in land is affected:

(a) By act or operation of law; or

(b) By will; or

(bm) By nonprobate transfer on death under s. 705.15; or

(c) By lease for a term limited to one year or less; or by contract or option to lease for such period which postpones the commencement of the agreed lease to a time not later than 60 days after the date of the contract or option; or by assignment, modification or termination of lease when, at the time such assignment, modification or termination is made, the unexpired term is limited to one year or less, and remains so limited under the lease as modified; except that instruments relating to such excluded transactions, if in recordable form, shall be entitled to record.

(3) This chapter shall be liberally construed, in cases of conflict or ambiguity, so as to effectuate the intentions of parties who have acted in good faith.

History: 1999 a. 85 ss. 135, 138; 2005 a. 206.

The doctrine of part performance is not an “operation of law" under sub. (2) (a) that excludes the application of ch. 706 to a transaction. Wyss v. Albee, 183 Wis. 2d 245, 515 N.W.2d 517 (Ct. App. 1994).

Transactions in which an interest in land is affected by act or operation of law are excluded from operation of this chapter under sub. (2). Dow Family, LLC v. PHH Mortgage Corporation, 2014 WI 56, 354 Wis. 2d 796, 848 N.W.2d 728, 13-0221.

A bank's mortgage validly attached a lien to a vendor's interest under a land contract. Wisconsin's land recording statute is broad enough to include creation of a lien on a vendor's interest in a land contract, which includes legal title to land. Liebzeit v. Intercity State Bank, FSB, 819 F.3d 981 (2016).