The hidden issue
One exception type, and the risk most people read right past on the commitment.
Commercial title · 50 states + DC · ALTA endorsements
Commercial title,
explained in a minute.
Plain-English answers on liens, recording, endorsements and closing-table issues, for title staff, paralegals, attorneys and lenders. Search it, map it, compare it.
51State files
118ALTA forms explained
20Episodes
30+ yrsAt the closing table
Jump in
Start where your deal is.
State files
51 jurisdictions: liens, recording, future advances, subdivision and premiums.
Browse statesEndorsements
118 ALTA forms in plain English, searchable by number or keyword.
Search formsEpisodes
One title issue, explained in about a minute.
Watch New50-State Compare
Seven topics, every state, one sortable table.
Compare NewWhich endorsement do I need?
Three questions, a short list of forms to look at.
FindSearch everything
Every state file, form, episode and term in one box.
SearchInteractive map
Lien deadlines, state by state.
Hover a state for its mechanics' lien filing deadline and the one quirk worth knowing. Click to open the full state file.
Tap a state to see its lien deadline and key quirk. Tap it again to open the state file.
Hover or tab to a state for its lien deadline and key quirk. Click to open the full state file.
Learn something today
A minute a day keeps the claims away.
Title term of the day
Abstract of title
A condensed history of the recorded documents affecting a parcel. Some states still require a certified abstract before a policy issues.
See it in the glossaryLearn by topic
Does the base policy insure actual vehicular access to a named street?
Short primers and quizzes on coverage, exclusions, Schedule B and endorsements. Progress saves on this device.
Find out in the quiz All 16 topicsWhat this is
The title issues that move deals — without the jargon.
Commercial title runs on trust, and trust is built by being useful before you ever ask for the work. Title in a Minute is a short, regular series that takes one real issue — a Schedule B exception, a new ALTA endorsement, a survey question, a curative pattern — and explains what it actually means for the people on the deal.
No pitch. No filler. Just the kind of plain explanation good counsel gives a client over the phone, made public so it compounds.
The formats
Four ways one minute earns its keep
Every episode follows one of four shapes — recognizable, repeatable, and built around the questions customers actually ask.
What it means
A new endorsement or bulletin, translated into what it changes for your deal.
Three things to check
A short pre-closing checklist before you sign, accept, or rely on a commitment.
From the field
A pattern seen on a recent deal — anonymized — and how to handle it cleanly.
Featured
Title Commitment Review
Featured episode
How to read a title commitment
The commitment is where a deal is really decided — requirements on one schedule, exceptions on another. This episode walks how to read it and what to look for before you rely on it.
See all 20 episodes
Who's behind it
Shawn Tidwell
Director of National Sales & Counsel for Fidelity National Title Group's Atlanta National Commercial Services — and a Georgia attorney since 1993.
Three decades of commercial closings taught one lesson worth repeating: the deals that go smoothly are the ones where everyone understood the title issues early. Title in a Minute is that understanding, made public — for the attorneys and lenders who want a straight answer, fast.
More about ShawnWatch & connect
New minutes, as they publish.
Subscribe on YouTube to catch each new episode — or reach out if you've got a deal or a question worth a minute.