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County clerk briefs commissioners on Senate Bill 16; commissioners raise concern over alleged fraudulent deed sales on courthouse steps
Summary
County Clerk Leslie told the Titus County Commissioners Court that Senate Bill 16 requires clerks to check and copy photo identification for anyone filing property deeds or other land-record paperwork.
County Clerk Leslie told the Titus County Commissioners Court that Senate Bill 16 requires county clerks to check and copy photo identification for anyone filing property deeds or other land-record paperwork.
“You are required when you show up to the office to bring your ID,” Leslie said, explaining that clerks may refuse filings from people who will not present identification and that enhanced criminal penalties and victim-assistance provisions were included in the statute as described to the court.
Leslie also summarized what she read in the meeting: the bill adds notary standards and expands protections for people targeted by fraudulent filings.
Separately, commissioners described recurring complaints about a person who has appeared on courthouse steps in several East Texas counties to conduct deed-related transactions that residents later questioned. A commissioner said the person sometimes conducts transactions in inclement weather and that residents have reported confusion about whether a sale is taking place.
“That’s a problem for our people that live here in Titus County,” a commissioner said, noting similar reports from Morris, Franklin and Hopkins counties and saying staff had contacted state representatives about the issue.
The clerk presented House Bill “55 34” as read in the meeting, which she said allows jurisdictions to post agendas online rather than requiring physical posting on courthouse windows; the clerk said the county would continue to provide paper copies to commissioners out of courtesy.
Why it matters: SB 16 changes clerk procedures for property filings and gives clerks new tools to reject or escalate suspected fraudulent filings. Commissioners flagged ongoing community complaints about courthouse-step transactions; the court recorded the matter of record and indicated staff would work with state representatives and county agencies to address concerns.
