EXHIBIT 5.1

   
                                January 22, 1999
    

American National Financial, Inc.
17911 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 240
Irvine, CA 92614

Gentlemen:

   
     At your request, we have examined the form of Registration Statement on 
Form S-1 (the "Registration Statement") which has been filed by American 
National Financial, Inc. (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), 
for the purpose of registering 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock of the 
Company (including 300,000 shares of Common Stock which may be purchased by 
the Underwriters to cover over-allotments, if any), a warrant to purchase 
125,000 shares of Common Stock (the "Warrant") and the shares underlying the 
Warrant.
    

     We have examined the proceedings relating to the issuance of your 
presently outstanding shares of Common Stock and are also familiar with 
proceedings taken and proposed to be taken in connection with the issuance 
and sale of securities in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement, 
as amended.

     Subject to the completion of the proceedings contemplated in connection 
with the foregoing matters, we are of the opinion that all of the securities 
included in the Registration Statement for sale by the Company have been duly 
authorized and, when issued and sold in the manner set forth in the 
Registration Statement will, upon such issuance and sale, be validly and 
legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 
Registration Statement, and to the use of our name under the caption "Legal 
Matters" in the Registration Statement.


                                       Respectfully submitted,

                                       Rutan and Tucker LLP