Documents are filed by Atlantic Title Co., using Landata e-Link™ software

HOUSTON (Nov. 7, 2007) – Kennebec County has implemented the first electronic recording of real estate documents in Maine, with the filing done by Atlantic Title Co. using e-Link software from Landata Technologies Inc.

Landata Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stewart Information Services Corp. (NYSE-STC)

“The Honorable Beverly Bustin-Hatheway, Register of Deeds in Kennebec County, is recognized by other registers in Maine as a technology leader,” said Alan Cellura, president and chief executive officer, Landata Technologies. “She has taken a significant step forward by implementing the state’s first e-recording using Landata’s e-STAR recordation.”

The Landata e-STAR Plus™ automated public records system includes scanning, cashiering, document indexing, document printing and document retrieval modules in addition to e-recording.

“We work with attorneys, title companies and banks, and our customers say it’s the best system in Maine,” said Bustin-Hatheway. “Over time, I would like to see 100 percent e-recording of real estate documents.”

Bustin-Hatheway, a former state senator who has been the register of deeds since 2000, has taken her office completely digital, with no books printed since 2004 and indexes printed only as backup. She has digitized all plans in the registry and is in the process of indexing the earliest books (711) in the registry so the images can be viewed electronically – rather than having customers come to the registry to see the paper copies.

Atlantic Title Co., an affiliate of First American Title Insurance Co., filed the first e-recorded documents in Kennebec County on Sept. 2. Based in South Portland, the 25-year-old agency does most of its work in Cumberland and York counties.

“Filing in Kennebec County has allowed us to work more efficiently by using Landata’s e-recording,” said Janice A. Guimont, president, Atlantic Title. “We do business all over the state, so e-recording will be more advantageous to us as more counties come on board across the state.”

Atlantic Title marketing and closing manager Connie Minervino had done a good deal of research on the advantages of e-recording. “We were looking for ways to ‘think outside the box,’ and were very pleased to be able to work with Landata to implement this software,” said Minervino. “e-Recording means there is no delay in getting documents to the recording office and it saves customers money on overnighting charges.”

The first closing document packages including deeds, deeds of trust and other related documents were transmitted into Kennebec County’s Landata e-STAR Plus system. Scanned images of the documents were sent, in addition to index information (grantor, grantee and property information) and cashiering information (document type and number of pages).

“The e-Link technology allows title companies and other submitters the same recording functionality offered in person at the counter in the courthouse,” said Cellura. “With this desktop e-recording system, Landata Technologies provides the platform, and the submitter acts as a remote recording facility.”

About Landata Technologies Inc.
Landata Technologies offers electronic document conversion with indexing services, recordation systems, e-recording and data warehousing with e-commerce to government entities and title companies.

About Stewart
Stewart Information Services Corp. is a customer-driven, technology-enabled, strategically competitive, real estate information, title insurance and transaction management company. Stewart provides title insurance and related information services required for settlement by the real estate and mortgage industries through more than 9,500 policy-issuing offices and agencies in the United States and international markets. Stewart also provides post-closing lender services, automated county clerk land records, property ownership mapping, geographic information systems, property information reports, flood certificates, document preparation, background checks and expertise in tax-deferred exchanges. More information can be found at www.stewart.com.

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