Robert:  You state in your "Key Fob" article the following: 

'The records are still available at the courthouse and "real" title abstractors will still be able to provide reliable title searches to the title industry. In fact, eliminating the on-line access will most likely result in more thorough searches that are only possible at the courthouse.'

Unfourtunately this is not the case.  Here is the situation at this time for a few counties: Mind you this is IF YOU GO TO THE CLERKS OFFICE IN PERSON:
Fort Bend:  Acces to any document (no viewing no copy) is prohibited unless you show ID that it is your property.

Brazoria, Galveston, Montgomery:  Access to any document (no viewing no copy) is prohibited UNTIL a clerk reviews the doc and redacts the SSN, etc. (in Montgomery this meant the clerk printed the doc first, reviewed, and then handed to you!)
 
The Galveston County annex has limited access to docs at 10 per day per company (they don't have the staff!)  I imagine at the main office its not much better (usually only 1 or 2 staff is in the records room at one time).  Also any doc that is imaged (from 1995 to present) access is completly prohibited.

2 questions: 
1:  In your review of the AG opinion does it specifically state records on the internet or records in general  or both?
2:  In terms of protecting the public - what's your opinion re:  availability of documents if I travel to the courthouse.

Oh yeah - lots of rumors going around too..my fav so far..the clerk sits with you and recites the info from the doc that you require.  Meaning you don't even get to look at the doc at all!

Signed,
A "real" title abstractor