1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to examiners of titles; providing for 
  1.3             alternative means of compensation; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 2002, section 508.12, subdivision 1. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 508.12, 
  1.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [EXAMINER AND DEPUTY EXAMINER.] (a) The 
  1.9   judges of the district court shall appoint a competent attorney 
  1.10  in each county within their respective districts to be an 
  1.11  examiner of titles and legal adviser to the registrar in said 
  1.12  county, to which examiner all applications to register title to 
  1.13  land are referred without further order, and may appoint 
  1.14  attorneys to serve as deputy examiners who shall act in the name 
  1.15  of the examiner and under the examiner's supervision and 
  1.16  control, and the deputy's acts shall be the acts of the 
  1.17  examiners.  The examiner of titles and deputy examiners shall 
  1.18  hold office subject to the will and discretion of the district 
  1.19  court by whom appointed.  
  1.20     (b) In all counties, either: 
  1.21     (1) the examiner's compensation and that of the examiner's 
  1.22  deputies shall be fixed and determined by the court and paid in 
  1.23  the same manner as the compensation of other county employees is 
  1.24  paid except that 
  1.25     In all counties having fewer than 75,000 inhabitants, and 
  2.1   in Stearns, Dakota, and Olmsted counties; or 
  2.2      (2) the fees and compensation of the examiners for services 
  2.3   as legal adviser to the registrar shall be determined by the 
  2.4   judges of the district court and paid in the same manner as the 
  2.5   compensation of other county employees is paid, but in every 
  2.6   other instance shall be paid by the person applying to have the 
  2.7   person's title registered or for other action or relief which 
  2.8   requires the services, certification or approval of the examiner.
  2.9   The decision of which method of compensation applies to the 
  2.10  examiner and the examiner's deputies shall be made by the county 
  2.11  board and notice of that decision must be served on the chief 
  2.12  judge of the district court within ten days of the county 
  2.13  board's decision.  The county board's decision and notice to the 
  2.14  chief judge must be given only when the board decides to change 
  2.15  the existing method of compensation.