ILS white paper examines Torrens system in U.S.

International Land Systems, Inc. in conjunction with the Property Records Industry Association today released a white paper titled “The Earthen Vessel: Land Records in the United States,” detailing different types of land records including the advantages of the Torrens land registration system.

ILS President Peter Rabley and ILS Senior Legal Advisor Justin T. Holl, Jr. explain the effectiveness of the Torrens system in the white paper. Because land records are associated with specific parcels instead of individuals under the Torrens system, searches related to land parcels are far more efficient. Also, geographic information, including maps, digital or otherwise, can be shared easily.

Also included in the paper are analyses by Mark Monacelli, County Recorder for St. Louis County, Minnesota on the use of Torrens in the state of Minnesota and David Ewan, Vice President of New Jersey Title Insurance Co. on the application of title insurance and Torrens.

While the Torrens system has been widely adopted throughout Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and in some countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa, it has remained relatively uncommon in the United States, with only eight states utilizing the method.

Underscoring the potential benefits of using the Torrens system in the U.S., Rabley recently presented a history of the Torrens land registration system in the U.S. at the 2010 Property Records Industry Association (PRIA) Winter Symposium. The presentation was done with Mark Monacelli and David Ewan.

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