Does recording a document with the USPTO determine its effect on patent ownership?

No, the act of recording a document with the USPTO does not determine its legal effect on patent ownership. The MPEP clearly states:

The recordation of a document is not a determination of the effect of the document on the chain of title.

This means that while the USPTO will record various documents related to patent interests, it does not make any judgments about how these documents affect ownership at the time of recordation. Instead, as the MPEP explains:

The determination of what, if any, effect a document has on title will be made by the Office at such times as ownership must be established to permit action to be taken by the purported assignee in connection with a patent or an application.

For more information on how the USPTO determines ownership when necessary, refer to MPEP § 324 and § 325.

For more information on chain of title, visit: chain of title.

For more information on patent assignment, visit: patent assignment.