Industry & Technology news compliments of Marianne Mathieu
Title Insurance Industry & Technology News 03/20/19
Compliments of Marianne Mathieu
Industry Events
Look for NEW events posted since the last issue!
Industry News
Paving the Way for Women in the Title Industry
American Land Title Association - Although women today hold many leadership positions in title insurance companies, agencies, state trade associations, and the American Land Title Association (ALTA) , we know this was not always the case..

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Am I Still Covered Under the Title Insurance Policy?
JD Supra - When transferring property for corporate restructuring or estate planning purposes, an important issue to consider is whether the successor owner will be covered by the grantee’s title insurance policy.

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Kamala Harris Celebrates Her Role in the Mortgage Crisis Settlement. The Reality is Quite Different.
The Intercept - Pretty much every major Democratic official involved in responding to the foreclosure crisis during the Obama years did an unforgivably terrible job. That’s how we wound up with 10 million families losing their homes ...

Prospect for Innovation or Dust from The Litterbox? The Public Sifts Through Product Sandbox
Mondaq - A catastrophic end to consumer protection to some, and a long overdue attempt to reconcile law with technology to others, former CFPB Acting Director Mick Mulvaney's parting gift stirred up the financial services industry. The CFPB published its proposed Policy on No-Action Letters and the BCFP Product Sandbox .

Notice and opportunities to comment
CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) - Check here for notices and opportunities to comment posted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP). These requests can include: proposed rules, requests for information, and Paperwork Reduction Act notices that give the public an opportunity to comment on certain planned or existing reporting, record keeping, and disclosure requirements.

Legal News
Legislature passes bill allowing business-controlled title companies
St. George News - A contested bill deregulating part of the realty and title insurance industry passed the Utah Legislature Wednesday and is now on its way to the governor’s desk.

Letter to the Editor: SB121 will raise costs for the buyers and sellers of real estate in Utah
Cache Valley Media Group - Most Utahns are unaware of how they will be adversely affected by SB121 which will allow Affiliated (Controlled) Business Arrangements (AfBAs) to operate in Utah’s real estate markets.

Neighbors Have Escalated Their War on the Eccentric ‘Flintstone House’
Atlas Obscura - A small Bay Area Town just renewed an ongoing conflict with one of its strangest landmarks. Nestled in the shrubbery along the California’s I-280, the orange and purple bulges of the Flintstone House.

10th Circuit: Title Insurer Did Not Have Duty to Defend or Indemnify Claim for Fraudulent Conveyance of Deed
JD Supra - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled in favor of a national title insurance company and found that the title insurer did not have a duty to defend nor a duty to indemnify a bank that collateralized two deeds of trusts from an alleged fraudster operating a Ponzi scheme.

Conover v. Patriot Land Transfer: RESPA's Statute of Limitations and Equitable Tolling Clash Again
Mondaq - A recent decision in Conover v. Patriot Land Transfer LLC1 involves what appears to be a run-of-the-mill Section 8 RESPA claim that a title agency supplied borrower leads and data lists in return for lender referrals to the title company.

Hoff Bill to Prevent Posthumous ID Theft Unanimously Passes House
Lacamas Magazine - A bill sponsored by Rep. Larry Hoff to create a short form death certificate in Washington state has been unanimously approved by the state House..

Illinois Land Title Association Granted Summary Judgment in Case against Cook County Recorder of Deeds
Illinois State Bar Association - The Cook County Circuit Court granted the Illinois Land Title Association’s motion for summary judgment for its writ of mandamus to require the Cook County Recorder of Deeds to record heirship deeds and affidavits without first requiring a certified probate court order.

Bipartisan bill offered by Cassidy fights financial crimes, protects national security
The Ripon Advice - U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) aims to improve how the nation fights financial crimes via the recent introduction of bipartisan legislation to strengthen the government’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)..

Tech / Social Media
NY DFS Cybersecurity Regulation, Two Years In - What Comes Next?
JD Supra - This past Friday, March 1, 2019, marked the second anniversary and final effective date of the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS)’s cybersecurity regulation.

Users Beware: Blockchains Are Susceptible to Attacks
Legaltech News - Blockchain technology is often touted for its great security in preserving transaction records. However, blockchain isn’t impenetrable. 

Denver Property Market Creeps into Crypto
ICO Examiner - Denver’s historic Doyle-Benton House has been placed on the market with a price tag of $1.9 million and the seller is “willing to accept Bitcoin or other forms of cryptocurrency as payment.”.

Leading with change: How 6 Austin companies innovate to drive industry shifts
Built In Austin - One of the quickest ways for a company to fade into obscurity is to remain stagnant. This holds especially true for the tech industry, where companies are expected to adapt to trends at lightning speed.

Title Agency & People in the News
St. Pat’s parade Grand Marshal dons his green, holiday spirit
Lake News Online - Joe Roeger (opened First American Title in 1992) and his wife, Terri, will don their leprechaun hats for at least a few hours on Saturday will get in the spirit of all things Irish and green.

Chicago Title Company took home the award for Workplace Excellence
Thurston Talk - On February 6, the Lacey South Sound Chamber pulled out all the stops to recognize some amazing businesses, organizations and individuals in the area. 

College admissions scandal touches title insurance industry
NBC San Diego- Among the wealthy defendants accused of paying bribes to assure their children’s acceptance into elite colleges are Elisabeth Kimmel, former owner of KFMB-TV, San Diego’s CBS affiliate, and Toby MacFarlane, a businessman from Del Mar.

Long Island title agency acquires another
Long Island Business News - Carle Place-based LandStar Title Agency has acquired Seaport Title Agency in Freeport. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

American Land Title Association honors first Iowa designee with national title professional recognition
Pilot Tribune - Zachary A. Ruroden has been awarded a National Title Professional (NTP) designation from the American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association of the land title insurance industry.

Title Agents Go Nationwide
For agents interested in growing their businesses by expanding into multiple states, we’re here to make the process simple and profitable. We offer you one point of contact to streamline your options and solutions.

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In Other News
A Nubian Goat Named Lincoln Was Just Sworn in as the Mayor of Fair Haven, Vermont
Mental Floss - Lincoln the goat may not be housebroken, but she had no problem winning the race for mayor of Fair Haven, Vermont..

If ‘ji32k7au4a83’ is Your Online Password, You’re Not Alone—Here’s Why
Mental Floss - Right now, somewhere in the world, a handful of people are probably logging into their email or Facebook accounts with the password password—or, worst of all, 123456.

The Garden Chairs of Solitude
Terrible Real Estate Agent Photographs - The Garden Chairs of Solitude knew this might be their only chance of escape. Quietly they awaited the signal from their contact on the Outside..


Marianne Mathieu, NTP
Vice President/National Agency Accounts
Fidelity National Title Group
347-987-0677