There used to be an organization in MA called the Massachusetts Association of Title Examiners that promulgated just such standards when I was free lancing there about 10 years ago, don't know if they're still in existance.  I didn't find them on the Web, there is a Massachusetts Association for Independant Title Examiners but they only started in 2005.  MATE had been around for at least 20 years, and the standards were kept current with changes and in the law and adhered to by the abstractors.  Anybody from MA familiar?  Might be a starting point for drafting purposes.