Public Record Update Newsletter © February 2010

Fee Increase - Missouri Criminal Records

Pursuant to statute, beginning March 1, 2010, the fee for a name-based, statewide criminal record search from the Missouri Highway Patrol will increase from $9.00 to $10.00 per search. The other fees for criminal records from this agency remain the same. For example, a fingerprint search is $20.00, with an exception for certain mandated request purposes (conceal-carry weapons permits and Department of Social Services for foster care placement) which are charged only $14.00. If the fingerprint search is to include an FBI fingerprint check add $19.25, or $15.25 if for a volunteer group position.

Electronic image capturing (also known as livescan) for fingerprint-based applicant background checks is available to the public through Missouri Applicant Processing Services (MOAPS) in connection with L-1 Private Identity Solutions (a vendor). The fee is $12.95 per name.

For more information about the Missouri programs visit -

www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/PatrolDivisions/CRID/crimRecChk.html

For more information about L-1, see www.l1id.com/

Depending on the court, the $24.00 file charge is based sometimes on a per case basis, sometimes on a per name basis, and sometimes simply at the discretion of the court personnel at the counter.

This fee interpretation is not per the guidelines of the Administrative Offices of the Courts (AOC). Also, this charge for pulling document is not a procedure followed by the AZ Superior Courts. Reportedly, the AOC is considering implementation of a statewide fee schedule/regulation that would give specific mandates to these limited jurisdiction courts and thus would supposedly halt this practice.

Recent Increases for California Real Estate Recording Fees

Passage of Senate Bill 676 (SB676) enabled county recorders to increase their recording fee by as much as $6.00 for the first recorded page of a real estate document. For example, the base fee charged by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder is now set at $13.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page; in Nevada County the new fee is $14.00 for recording the first page and $3.00 each additional page. The county of Sonoma increased its base rate for the first recorded page of a real estate document from $8.00 to $13.00, the first increase since 1972.

Senate Bill 1396, passed in 2008, has lead to an increase for certain recording fees in Santa Barbara County effective March 1, 2010.  Increasing from $17.00 to $18.00 for the first pages are five real estate instruments: Notice of Default, Deed of Trust, Request for Notice of Default, Reconveyance, and Assignment of Deed of Trust. Increasing from $15.00 to $18.00 are the first pages for three real estate instruments: Substitution of Trustee, Notice of Trustee Sale, and Notice of Rescission of Declaration of Default.

PRRN Preparing a Standardized Agreement for Hiring On-site Record Researchers

A committee of nine members from the Public Record Retriever Network (PRRN) has been formed to create a model agreement that can be used by localized public record researchers when hired by employment screening firms or public record vendor firms. The committee - which includes record researchers, members of employment screening firms, members of public record vendor firms, and a prominent attorney specializing in FRCA - is striving to prepare a master agreement that is fair to all parties.

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