12. The court will hold for

B is correct. The recording act quoted in this question is a race-notice act. To prevail under a race-notice act as a subsequent purchaser, a party must be a bona fide purchaser («BFP») who is (i) the first to record his deed (won the race) and (ii) acquired the land without notice of earlier purchasers. To be a BFP, a party must give value for his or her interest in the land. The facts here indicate that the neighbor recorded first, followed by the woman and then the son. The neighbor was the first to record, and therefore, the neighbor is protected by the recording act. Thus, under the Shelter Rule, the neighbor's recording then cut off any rights that the woman may have had. Thus, when the neighbor gave the land to her son, the woman's rights had already been cut off. Consequently, the son has the superior title.

A is incorrect. The woman will not prevail because the neighbor recorded her interest first and had no notice of the woman's title. The fact that the woman was a donee is a red herring that would only be relevant if she was a subsequent grantee.

C is incorrect. The woman will not prevail by recording before the son because the neighbor had already recorded before her. Therefore, the neighbor had superior title to Greenacre.

D is incorrect. As addressed above, the neighbor's recording cut off any rights that the woman may have had.