17.1-294 - Secure remote access to land records. - Virginia Statutes

§ 17.1-294. Secure remote access to land records.

A. No circuit court clerk shall provide secure remote access to any landrecord that does not comply with the provisions of this section and thesecure remote access standards developed by the Virginia InformationTechnologies Agency in consultation with the circuit court clerks, theExecutive Secretary of the Supreme Court, the Compensation Board, and usersof land and other court records.

B. 1. Beginning July 1, 2012, any land record made available to subscribersvia secure remote access may contain only the last four digits of the socialsecurity number of any party.

2. However, the original land record maintained by the clerk may contain asocial security number if otherwise provided by law, but that original recordshall not be made available via secure remote access unless it complies withthis section.

3. Except in cases where the original record is required by law to contain asocial security number, the attorney or party who prepares or submits theland record for recordation has the responsibility for ensuring that thesocial security number has been removed from the writing prior to theinstrument's being submitted for recordation.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit access to anyoriginal document as provided by law.

D. The clerk of the circuit court of any jurisdiction shall be immune fromsuit arising from any acts or omissions relating to providing secure remoteaccess to land records pursuant to this section unless the clerk was grosslynegligent or engaged in willful misconduct.

(2007, cc. 548, 626; 2009, c. 312.)