Board denies appeal after homeowners trace lost homestead exemption to closing attorney typo

Aaron and Kelly Romito told the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors that a clerical typo on their warranty deed led to their homestead exemption being removed and higher property taxes.

The Romitos said they purchased their home in August 1999 and filed for a homestead exemption in January 2000, but later discovered a deed filing error that listed the builder, Security Builders, as the homeowner. “There was a typo on the warranty deed,” the couple said when they appeared before the board.

Board Attorney Adam Emerson and Chancery Chief Deputy Clerk Mary Jane Thaxton told the board the closing attorney filed the incorrect deed. Emerson said that, under law, “the Board can only legally go back three years” for county‑caused errors and that the county is not obligated to notify homeowners if a homestead exemption is dropped. Thaxton explained that the chancery office processes warranty deeds as received from attorneys and does not have visibility into the transaction motivations.

Supervisor Jessie Medlin moved and Supervisor Robert Foster seconded a motion to deny the Romitos’ appeal, finding the mistake that canceled the homestead exemption was the filing attorney’s error and not the county’s. The motion carried, with Supervisors Medlin, Denison and Foster voting yes and two supervisors absent.

The board’s action was limited to denying the administrative appeal; the Romitos were advised to pursue recourse with the closing attorney or through civil remedies outside the county’s administrative process. The board record does not identify any county staff error that would allow relief beyond the three‑year statutory window.