A quitclaim deed—also known as a quitclaim—is a deed that transfers whatever interest the grantor (purported owner) has in a piece of real property to the grantee (buyer)—but does not represent or warrant that the grantor’s title (ownership) is valid (that the grantor has any ownership interest in it) or free from liens or encumbrances.

A quitclaim deed only purports to convey the grantor’s present interest in the land (if any) and does not purport to convey the land itself. Thus, if the grantor were to acquire an interest in the land after executing (signing) a quitclaim deed, the grantor would retain that interest, as the grantor did not have it at the time the grantor executed the quitclaim deed.

In Tennessee, a quitclaim deed is a legal instrument used to transfer a grantor's interest in a property to a grantee without any warranties of title. This means that the grantor does not guarantee that they hold a valid title or that the property is free from liens or other encumbrances. The quitclaim deed conveys only the interest that the grantor has at the time of the transfer, if any, and does not affect any interest the grantor might acquire in the future. If the grantor obtains a new interest in the property after the quitclaim deed is executed, that interest is not transferred to the grantee. It is important for grantees to understand that quitclaim deeds offer no protection against title defects, which is why they are often used between family members or in situations where the history of the property's title is well-known. In Tennessee, quitclaim deeds must be in writing, signed by the grantor, and should be notarized and recorded with the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located to provide public notice of the transfer.