New homeowner protections are being proposed after a high-profile deed fraud case in Wake County.
Now, six different bills have been introduced this session dealing with preventing title and deed fraud.
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One that will get a debate Tuesday is Senate Bill 423.
The bill comes after local dentist Craig Adams told WRAL News in September that a stranger filed a fraudulent deed, staking a claim to his home.
Dawn Mangum was arrested and charged with filing that deed.
Adams had to pay attorneys to go to civil court to get the deed with Mangum's name on it declared false.
Senate Bill 423 bill would require people to present photo ID when recording documents with any register of deeds in the state.
That addresses one of Adams' complaints, that no one even asked for ID before recording the deed with Mangum's name.
The bill also gives courts more power to set the record straight after a fake deed is filed:
- It would be easier to remove people who shouldn't be in the home.
- Victims can get attorney’s fees paid back and collect civil penalties up to $10,000.
- And the bill speeds up the entire process of getting a fake deed declared fake.
“With Dr. Adams, he had to go to the sheriff's office, he had to prove to them that this was an issue, that it was actually really his house. From there they had to do an investigation, then it went to court,” explained Wake County Register of Deeds Tammy Brunner.
“With [Senate Bill 423] you’re going to the Clerk of Court, you’re filling out paperwork, and they are making the decision whether the deed is fraudulent or not and then steps will come from that.”
This bill is scheduled to be debated in a Senate Committee on Tuesday.
Other bills that address deed fraud include:
-House Bill 535 - Title Fraud Prevention Act
-House Bill 524 - Fraud Detection Alert System
-House Bill 235 - Fraudulent Deeds
-House Bill 360 - Homeowner Protection Act
-House Bill 431 - Preventing Deed Fraud Act