In a race jurisdiction, what determines the winning party in a recording conflict?

In a race jurisdiction, the fundamental principle is based on the recording acts that prioritize the timing of recordation. In such jurisdictions, the party who records first effectively secures their interest in the property over any subsequently recorded interests. This means that if two parties claim an interest in the same property, the one who records their deed or interest first will be considered to have superior rights, even if another party may have a more substantial or stronger claim based on prior possession or other factors.

The rationale behind this approach is to provide certainty and clarity in property transactions. This encourages prompt action in recording interests to protect rights. Therefore, the winner in a conflict of recording is determined purely by the timing of when the interest was recorded, making the party who records first the victor in the recording conflict.

In contrast, in jurisdictions that follow a notice or a race-notice system, other factors such as notice of prior claims could influence which party prevails. But in a pure race jurisdiction, it is strictly the order of recording that determines the winning party.