Sounds like a fascinating project... I hope you will share some results with as well.

As for taking a laptop to the courthouse, it is a difficult proposition.  I think that eventually the abstractors will all need to adopt some uniform technology to remain competitive.  My abstractors resist such ideas because they are constantly on the move from one side of the recorder's office to the other, and from county office to county office.  They don't like carrying a laptop all over the place.

The problem with utilizing a client's technology is that it is usually specifically designed for that client and it can only be used effectively for that one client.  We do work for about 50 different clients and it is not practical to adopt many different applications.  One good system would be nice, though.  We need a standard, but it has to be an open standard that everyone can use.

Technology is severely lacking among the abstractors.  I think a big part of the reason for this is the thin profit margin.  Spending a lot of money on technology means that they have to charge more and that has not been an option recently.

Using the client's software for billing is also a problem... when you work with several different clients, it is difficult to adopt different applications for your billing.  We use QuickBooks and the only time we have a problem is when the client disregards our invoices because they keep track of their own billing (Autopay). 

Hope that helps.  Best of luck with the MBA.

Thanks,
Robert A. Franco
SOURCE OF TITLE