I can't speak for other searchers/examiners/abstractors whatever you want to call them but long ago and far away when I was originally trained, I was taught you go by the metes and bounds, if that isn't there then it's the block and lot and if that isn't there then you report based upon street address...I also was taught that on every document that does NOT contain an actual metes and bounds that you add the little "searcher marginal notation" up the side of the document in big bold letters "no M&B's" or "No Legal" - 9 times out of 10 here in NJ for title work, copies are always requested (even if just pertinent pages) it's the "credit checks" here that don't get copies - either way though it's up to the searcher/abstractor/whatever to note absolutely ANYTHING that isn't  cut and dry and easy as pie to read.