Duties of the Examiner of Title

To assist with the operation of the Torrens system, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 508 requires the District Court to appoint an Examiner of Titles. David Meyers was appointed Sherburne County Examiner of Titles in July 2002. His job performance is evaluated each year by the District Court Judges. The job of the Examiner is to assist the District Courts in the original Registration and some subsequent title matters.

In limited cases, partly determined by statute and partly through custom, the Examiner can direct the transfer of property where there might otherwise be a problem. For example, Summary Real Estate Disposition Judgments, Trusts, Powers of Attorney for a registered owner and so on can some times cause problems for the Registrar of Titles. As Examiner, David Meyers is authorized by statute to issue Certifications and Directives to the Registrar to assist with title transfer. Please click here for help with Examiner Directives, Certifications, or the role of the District Court.

The fees for my work as Examiner are paid by the property owner. The current Fee Schedule is available on this web site. Where possible, a Fee Schedule is used. Title companies appreciate the certainty in knowing how much money needs to be set aside at a closing to resolve a Torrens problem.

Items You May Wish to Discuss With the Examiner:

• Foreign notaries
  
• Blanket or not well-defined easements
  X by his/her mark
  
• Appointment of corporate agent to sign documents
  
• MERS
  
• Whether to continue Divorce Decree on new Certificate (if lien)
  
• Dropping old judgments, federal tax liens, Mechanic’s Liens
  
• Items expiring by their own terms (lease, options to purchase, etc.)
  
• Foreign decrees
  
• Alterations to documents
  
• Date only on acknowledgment
  
• Use of aka’s as grantors or grantees
  
• Affidavit of Merger, Easement and subsequent property acquired by the same owner
  
• Owner redemption from Mortgage or other Lien Foreclosure Sale
  
• Registrar’s correction document for clerical errors - only if it may adversely affect the interest of a party (See: 508.71(1a))
  
• Appeal to Examiner from Registrar’s rejection (See: 508.321)
  
• Notices of Adverse Claim
  
• Registered Land Surveys
  
• Lot or Parcel Splits