Hart InterCivic, E-Filing.com Form Alliance to Electronically Record Official Public Documents; eRecording Increases Speed, Efficiency, Accuracy of Document Recording Process.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 28, 2003

Hart InterCivic, Inc., and E-Filing.com have formed an alliance to make eRecording services more readily available to counties and document submitters around the country. eRecording refers to the electronic submission, receipt, indexing and archiving of land records and other official public documents.

The alliance combines Hart InterCivic's Universal eRecording Counter, an open system that allows counties to accept all electronic documents that meet standards established by the Property Records Industry Association (PRIA), with E-Filing.com's secure document submission system that can be used by governmental agencies and the private sector.

"This alliance allows us to offer greater efficiency, security, and accuracy on both ends of the document recording process," said Matt Walker, Hart InterCivic Vice President for eGovernment Solutions. "It is a natural fit for both companies, and an advantage for county governments and the entities that submit documents to them."

Dr. Mohammed Shaikh, Chairman of the Board of E-Filing.com, noted that the companies have complementary areas of expertise and a shared commitment to technology solutions. "E-filing is proud to offer its extensive experience providing secured document data exchange between public and private organizations to this alliance," he said.

Snohomish County, Washington, the first Washington county to use eRecording, adopted the Hart and E-Filing.com systems in September 2003. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Office of Financial Recovery currently uses the system to electronically submit property liens and releases of liens. Fidelity National Title Company of Washington and Stewart Title of Snohomish are preparing to begin electronic submission of land records.

"eRecording is the future for county governments," said Bob Terwilliger, Snohomish County Auditor. "We are excited that there is so much interest among title companies and other government agencies. Once they see that eRecording works, we are confident that many more will get on board."

Walker predicted rapid growth in eRecording among counties as the result of successful installations like Snohomish County.

"County recorders around the country are watching Snohomish County because it is recognized as a leader in eRecording," he said. "Hart and E-Filing.com are positioned to respond to this growing market and to help counties and document submitters make a successful transition."

Universal eRecording Counter, a component of Hart's Anthem electronic records management system, allows counties to accept electronic documents in any format that meets standards approved by the Property Records Industry Association, a professional organization representing counties and title companies, among others.

Electronically recorded documents can be filed in a matter of minutes rather than hours or days, allowing transactions to proceed in a timely manner. Documents also are filed more accurately, since they are not subject to tampering or common hazards such as rips, spills or being misplaced. The process also makes more efficient use of resources by allowing employees to concentrate on higher-level tasks instead of data entry and document delivery.

Lisa Goldsworthy, Recording Manager for the Snohomish County Recorder's Office, noted that her office receives about one-quarter of its documents through the mail. "It takes us more time to disassemble the mail for recording than it does to actually record the documents," she said. "It is definitely a savings when documents arrive electronically and our staff can be devoted to more important tasks. Title companies will realize similar savings when they don't have to come to the court house to file documents."

Documents submitted by E-Filing.com originate electronically and have no paper versions, allowing submitters to prepare documents from any location with Internet access, at any time of the day. Using a standard Web browser, clients access the required forms, complete data entry as needed, and attach files for submission. The documents are placed in an electronic "data envelope" customized to meet the requirements of the county that will receive the documents.

Documents are processed by E-Filing.com's Electronic Document Acceptance and Routing (EDAR) software. Using EDAR, the county can review, then reject or accept the instruments and apply an electronic stamp, which replaces the notary stamp required on paper documents. With the click of a mouse, the file is sent directly over a secured channel protected by 128bit encryption.

About e-Filing.com (www.E-Filing.com)

E-Filing.com is a Corporation headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, that began operation in September of 1999. E-Filing offers state-of-the-art technology to electronically file legal documents, land records and other official public records. E-Filing.com's electronic filing process makes it possible for documents to be submitted 24 hours a day from any location with Internet access. More information about E-Filing.com is available on the company's Website at www.e-filing.com.

About Snohomish County (www.co.snohomish.wa.us)

Located in northwest Washington, Snohomish County is the state's third largest county, with a population of more than 618,000. Government operations are headquartered in the county seat of Everett. Last year, Snohomish County recorded nearly 295,000 documents.

About Hart InterCivic (www.hartintercivic.com)

From electronic voting to the most effective technologies for automating local government processes, Hart InterCivic's name stands for exceptional expertise, absolute accessibility, and trusted transactions. Hart InterCivic is a leader in providing products and services that help redefine the relationship between state and local governments and the citizens they serve. Hart InterCivic, with offices in the U.S., including company headquarters in Austin, Texas, is working nationwide to bring governments closer to citizens through complete electronic government (e-government) solutions and election management solutions. More information about Hart InterCivic is available from the company's Website at www.hartintercivic.com.