Mississippi Title Examination Standards, effective August 1, 2019

Order your bound copy of the Mississippi Title Examination Standards Book

Purpose Statement
Title Examination Standards are guidelines intended to assist title examiners and others called upon to assess the marketability of land titles, focusing on the manner in which a prudent examiner approaches matters that may be encountered during the course of examination.

In 2018, the Executive Committee of the Real Property Section of the Mississippi Bar (the “Section”) approved the formation of a standing committee to study the formulation and development of title examination standards. After a great deal of study of the use of title examination standards in other states and many hours of research, drafting and meeting time, the committee (now the “Title Standards Board”), proposed the first set of title examination standards for use in the State of Mississippi (known as the “Mississippi Title Examination Standards” or “Title Standards”). At the request of the initial Title Standards Board, the Executive Committee directed the matter of adoption of the Title Standards to the members of the Section for vote. Adoption of the Title Standards was overwhelmingly approved by the Section on June 26, 2019.

The Title Standards Board consists of Mississippi experts in the title examination field. The Board meets at least annually to consider additional standards, amendments to existing standards, and commentary. Amendments and new standards must be presented to members of the Section for vote prior to formal adoption by the Section. The Board itself may make changes to the comments and cautions as needed. The Board welcomes comments and suggestions, which may be submitted to the Title Standards Board’s Chair.

While there is no term limit, members of the Title Standards Board serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee. Every attempt is made to ensure that the Board’s membership consists of practitioners from throughout the State of Mississippi, with representation from small-firms and large-firms, with litigation and non-litigation experience, with residential and non-residential experience, as well as both title agents and title insurers.

Title Standards Board Chair:

Kenneth D. Farmer
First American Title Insurance Company
2001 Airport Road, Suite 301
Flowood, MS 39232

Phone: (601) 863-1021
Fax: (866) 581-6491
Email: kfarmer@firstam.com

Title Standards Board (2018 – 2019)

Kenneth D. Farmer, Chair - First American Title Insurance Company

William Avant - Fidelity National Title Group

Staci Blackwell - Fidelity National Title Group

Jenifer B. Branning - Branning Law Firm, P. A.

Barry Bridgforth - Henry, Barbour, DeCell & Bridgforth

Arthur Hugo Calderon - Arthur Calderon Attorney at Law PLLC

Rodney Clement - Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Danny Crotwell - Fidelity National Title Group

Sean Culhane - Alliant National Title Ins. Co., Inc.

Lisa Jordan Dale - Law Office of Lisa J. Dale

Andy Dulaney - Dulaney Law Firm, LLP

Michael Fondren - Island Winds Title Company

Katy Fulghum - Island Winds Title Company

Charles Greer - Greer Law Firm, PLLC

Dewey Hembree - McGlinchey Stafford

Stan T. Ingram - Biggs, Ingram & Solop, PLLC

Brad Jones - Old Republic Title Insurance Company

Brannon Kahlstorf - Mitchell McNutt & Sams

Warren Laird - Stewart Title Insurance Company

Andrew Marion - Andrew Marion, PLLC

Justin Tyler McCaughn - J. Tyler McCaughn, PLLC

Mike McKay - Watson Heidelberg PLLC

Jerad D. Myers - Turner Law, PLLC

Roy Perilloux - Security Title Guar. Corp. of Baltimore

James C. Rhoden - Attorney at Law

Bridgforth Rutledge - Phelps Dunbar LLP

William F. Schneller - Jones and Schneller PLLC

Robert Schwartz - Schwartz, Orgler & Jordan, PLLC

Tara B. Scruggs - Lawrence L. Little & Associates, PA

Jennifer Signs - Balch & Bingham LLP

Kelly H. Smith - Graves, Smith, Palmertree & Shaw

Thomas J. Suszek - Holcomb Dunbar

Ann Corso Taylor - Jones Walker

Watts C. Ueltschey - Brunini Grantham Grower & Hewes PLLC

Paul David Walley - Pine Belt Land Title, LLC

Bill Williams - Williams & Nichols, PA

Roger Williams - Watkins Eager PLLC

Alan Windham, Jr. - Balch & Bingham LLP

With a special thanks to our student researchers:

Samuel Noblin - Mississippi College School of Law

Ellis Rustom - Univ. of Mississippi School of Law

Maggie Vinzant - Univ. of Mississippi School of Law