I'm with you on your assesment of the software developers knowledge of title searching Robert. Neither do they care. What typically happens when the techie folks get hold of the records is they attempt to dumb down the indexes to their own level of knowledge. This is why I've seen the IT folks telling county recorders they have to index so that the terms fit the fields they create. For example, a deed, quit claim, or any other transfer of title becomes just "deed" in the indexes. Same with Deeds of Trust and mortgages. They are dumbed down to just mortgage or DT. The only thing that the software developers seem to understand is that their online programs are not accurate or dependable. Their job is simply to take  taxpayer's money for doing a job we elect county officials to do.

I think most county officials are very concerned about keeping accurate records but they have little or no control over the websites and imaging contractors once these "services" are outsourced to government vendors.

Often officials inherit one-sided contracts from defeated or retiring predecessors. This is especially true for County Clerk's and Recorders who amass millions in their "technology funds". They seem to rush to spend the money under their control before they leave or are forced out of office. In Texas there is little to no oversite on how the clerks spend the "technology funds". I think this is the case in most states. In addition, a retired or defeated clerk is not required to report income from vendors after they leave office.


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