Ditto.  In California, the implosion of title plants 10 years ago into the 1-county megamall operations that cover all 58 counties, created many such problem.

On one side, I've been able to help a few clients reset a mortgage foreclosure "time clock" by helping them to take advantage of the flawed records to challenge their lenders. 

 However, ultimately, when the problem is with a pending sale transaction, a long explanation followed by disclaimers, exemptions and disclosures is only natural, and will certainly hold up a closing;  bad economic effect in a slow economy.

 I always check to make sure that the assessment rolls and tax rolls note the problem too, by contacting the public agency and working to find someone who can read a map and a deed:  a challenge in  modern times when education counts for little and computers are the "final word" of what's true.  I know that neither roll establishes ownership, but when this stuff is often on the internet, it complicates our jobs with clients that much more when something is wrong and creates a false expectation (makes you look incompetent and a trouble maker to those who don't understand the issues).