The problem is that once the Pandora's Box is opened - namely the issue of access to public records of any kind - the legal battles are are going to be intense over what records are/are not appropriate to be displayed over the Internet.

My personal feeling is that the most sensitive information available on these records - Social Security Numbers - is used on way too many other documents, and by way too many different things in the first place. The issue that should be first tackled is the use of the number on so many documents that have nothing to do with Social Security.

A federal law banning the use of the SSN on anything not having to do with the SS account, or any government document  would immediately make theft identity much less of an issue.

Once that is taken care of, and on a federal level, I think that the transition to full online documentation will be a lot smoother...