Bulletin: MO2024001

Dear Associates:

Jackson County, Missouri offices continue to be closed on Monday, April 8, 2024, following a ransomware cyberattack.

Offices impacted include the following:

Jackson County Recorder of Deeds
Tax Assessors Office
Appraiser’s Office
Geographic Information System (GIS)
Other Administrative Offices

We will alert you when updates are available from the county.

Continue to follow the guidelines in this bulletin.

Jackson County Missouri experienced a ransomware attack on April 2, 2024. The Recorder’s office and the Assessor’s offices are closed. The County is working diligently to resolve this issue but does not have an estimated resolution date. For closings scheduled at this time you should follow these guidelines and requirements:

As of the date of this bulletin, the Land Records cannot be searched, and the County is not recording any new documents.

For transactions where a commitment was already issued prior to April 2, 2024, with a satisfactory title search, you may close under the following circumstances:

1. The policy will not exceed $3 million;
2. You secure Stewart’s customary title affidavit or a similar affidavit from the current owner;
3. In addition to the customary title affidavit, You must also secure Stewart’s GAP Indemnity Agreement (signed by both Buyer and Seller). The GAP  indemnity agreement can be found on Virtual Underwriter and can be accessed by clicking here. 
4. The title examination does not show that the seller, purchaser, or borrower is subject to any outstanding involuntary or statutory liens (such as judgment liens, tax liens, or mechanic's liens) or lawsuits;
5. The insured mortgage is not a construction mortgage and there has been no recent construction; and
6. You determine that the closing instructions of the proposed insured lender and purchaser provide, or as clarified, acknowledge that recording and the return of the original deed and mortgage will be delayed until the county or other recording office is open.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates accordingly. If you have any questions, including those about transactions that have recently closed or were scheduled to close soon, please call or email one of our underwriters to discuss.

If you have any questions relating to this or other bulletins, please contact a Stewart Title Guaranty Company underwriter.

For on-line viewing of this and other bulletins, please log onto www.vuwriter.com.