Maryland regulators issue bulletin regarding split settlement options - The Maryland Insurance Administration informed licensed title insurance producers of the process of split settlement and how it is treated under Maryland state law and regulations. bit.ly/4bQT9UK

West Virginia legislature introduces Tax Lien Registration Act - Legislators in West Virginia have introduced the Tax Lien Registration Act, which would create a uniform system for filing tax lien notices. bit.ly/4dtYRgq

FinCEN says reporting rule filing not required after court order - In light of a Texas district court order in vacating FinCEN's residential real estate reporting rule, reporting persons are not currently required to file real estate reports. bit.ly/4sweXeo

Investigation into identity theft and title fraud scheme nets 11 arrests - Eleven defendants, including two foreign nationals, were arrested March 19 for fraudulently obtaining loans tied to the properties of their elderly victims. bit.ly/4btJqUh

State AG coalition sues lender for deceptive contracts, misleading sales - New York Attorney General Letitia James, with 12 other state AGs, is suing Indiana-based financial services vendor OneMain Financial for misleading customers. bit.ly/4bvtjFO

FinCEN publishes FAQs to clarify GTO on money services transaction reporting - Following the March 6 renewal of a geographic targeting order, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network released a series of frequently-asked questions. bit.ly/40RFxlR

Federal judge rules against CFPB in funding structure dispute - In a March 13 ruling, a federal judge declared that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau violated the law by not requesting funding earlier this year. bit.ly/41oKDGm

Idaho considers ban on foreign ownership of single-family homes - A law recently introduced to the Idaho legislature would prohibit non-U.S. citizens from purchasing or owning single-family dwellings within the state. bit.ly/4dBgiMc

Title agency owner, attorney reflect on court win vacating FinCEN final rule - The Legal Description spoke with Celia Flowers, owner of Flowers Title Companies, LLC, and her attorney about their court win over FinCEN and their thoughts on what comes next. bit.ly/4dTr28M

Ohio man charged with mortgage fraud in Florida faces up to 30 years in prison - Having been charged with six counts of bank fraud in relation to a mortgage scheme he operated in Florida, an Ohio man is facing up to 30 years in prison if convicted. bit.ly/3OcoCHZ

Hawaii Supreme Court weighs in on breach of escrow contract dispute - A homebuyer took her property’s seller to court over the alleged breach of a related escrow agreement, only to appeal and eventually bring the case to the state's supreme court. bit.ly/4tjsbuS

State regulators issue comprehensive call for homeowners insurance policy data - State insurance regulators have issued a nationwide data call to insurance companies to better understand homeowners insurance markets. bit.ly/4m4AmJh

Charlottesville title agency reports 22,000+ impacted by data breach - A Charlottesville, Va., real estate title and settlement agency reported on March 18 that it had been the target of data breach, with roughly 22,041 individuals thought to be impacted. bit.ly/415TbC0

MISMO builds consistent information framework with new ALTA datasets - The real estate finance industry’s standards organization has partnered with the American Land Title Association to publish two new policy and settlement statement datasets. bit.ly/3PFq0Dq

Colorado AG voids MV Realty contracts to the tune of $8.4 million - MV Realty will be required to pay the state $600,000 in consumer restitution while nullifying its long-term real estate agreements, saving Colorado homeowners an estimated $8.4 million. bit.ly/4m9UEku

Georgia lawmakers consider restrictions on lien filing process - A house bill making its way through the Georgia legislature aims to curb the misuse of mechanic’s and materialmen’s liens. bit.ly/4s6pUSH

Texas Business Court publishes opinion on jurisdiction of title company dispute - The Business Court of Texas ruled that it has the authority to declare subject matter jurisdiction in the case of Alamo Title Co. v. WFG National Title Co. of Texas, LLC. bit.ly/4bZUcR8

Virginia passes bill to update settlement agent duties - Lawmakers in Virginia have passed a bill to amend the formal duties of settlement agents operating in the state, including a requirement that instruments be recorded within two business days. bit.ly/4m7rCBR

Chicago Title seeks summary judgement in breach of contract suit - A small strip of disputed land, a denied building permit and other factors eventually led to a breach of contract suit between a property developer and a title insurance company. bit.ly/3PXf9EU

Texas AG proposes rules for ‘foreign adversaries’ land ownership bill - Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas proposed a set of rules that would formally prohibit certain designated foreign entities from owning land in Texas under SB 17. bit.ly/4s6qFv1