SECTION 95.503. Search Methodology

Search results are produced by the application of search logic to the name presented to the filing officer. Human judgment does not play a role in determining the results of the search.

(1) Standard search logic. Subparagraphs (A) - (J) of this paragraph describe the filing office's standard search logic and apply to all searches except for those where the search request specifies that a non-standard search logic be used:

(A) There is no limit to the number of matches that may be returned in response to the search criteria.

(B) No distinction is made between upper and lower case letters.

(C) The character "&" (the ampersand) is deleted and replaced with the characters "and" each place it appears in the name.

(D) Punctuation marks and accents are disregarded. For the purposes of this section, punctuation and accents include all characters other than the numerals 0 through 9 and letters A through Z (in any case) of the English alphabet.

(E) The following words and abbreviations at the end of an organization name that indicate the existence or nature of the organization are "disregarded" to the extent practicable as determined by the filing office's programming of its UCC information management system:

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(F) The word "the" at the beginning of an organization debtor name is disregarded.

(G) All spaces are disregarded.

(H) For first personal name and additional name(s)/initial(s) of individual debtor names, initials are treated as the logical equivalent of all names that begin with such initials or no name or initial, and first personal name and no additional name(s)/initial(s) is equated with all additional name(s)/initial(s). For example, a search request for "John A. Smith" would cause the search to retrieve all filings against all individual debtors with "John" or the initial "J" as the first personal name, "Smith" as the surname, and with the initial "A" or any name beginning with "A" or no name or initial in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field. If the search request were for "John Smith" (first personal name and surname with no designation in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field), the search would retrieve all filings against individual debtors with "John" or the initial "J" as the first personal name, "Smith" as the surname and with any name or initial or no name or initial in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field. In addition, Texas will also retrieve filings with first personal name equivalents. If the search request were for "John Smith" the search would also retrieve records with the first personal name "Jack", "Johnnie", "Johnny", and "Jonathan". The following is a list of all first personal name equivalents that are considered.

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(I) If the name being searched is the surname of an individual debtor name without any first personal name or additional name(s)/initial(s) provided, the search will retrieve from the UCC information management system all financing statements with individual debtor names with the surname being searched.

(J) After using subparagraphs (A) - (I) of this paragraph to modify the name being searched, the search will retrieve from the UCC information management system all Active Records that pertain to financing statements with debtor names that, after being modified as provided in this section, exactly match the modified name being searched.

(2) Non-standard search logic. The following non-standard search logic option is available for customers that have access to our online search site: wildcard debtor name search. This search option allows customers to search a character string at the beginning or anywhere within the organization, surname and/or first personal name fields. The displayed results consist only of the filing number and the debtor name.

Source Note: The provisions of this §95.503 adopted to be effective July 1, 2012, 37 TexReg 4571; amended to be effective January 9, 2014, 39 TexReg 73