Title Action Network Helps Urge Michigan House to Pass Bills Addressing Recording Issues

March 25, 2014

The Title Action Network (TAN) partnered with the Michigan Land Title Association (MLTA) to send an alert urging land title professionals in Michigan to contact their state representatives to express support for House Bills 4638–4640.

The bills address a problem that was created in 2009 when a United States Bankruptcy Court Judge decided in In re Neal that a copy of an original instrument along with a verified affidavit does not satisfy the necessary requirements for recording a real estate conveyance because it does not contain the original signatures as required by statue.

This has impacted the ability to determine the chain of title on certain parcels. The legislation allows a copy of an original instrument that is verified by an affidavit by a person that has knowledge of the real estate document to be deemed recorded in compliance with recording requirements. The language was retroactive.

The bills were passed Feb. 26 by the House thanks to the coordinated effort of the MLTA and TAN. The bills now head to the Senate.

In the fall of 2013, MLTA’s Board of Directors approved support of TAN. Since this time, more than 200 title professionals in Michigan have become TAN members. Overall, TAN has nearly 6,400 members. Click here to join TAN today.


Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or communications@alta.org.