Need UCC lien copy but filing office says they can't locate original records
I'm trying to get a certified copy of a UCC lien filing from 2019 but the state filing office keeps telling me they can't locate the original records in their system. The debtor company went through bankruptcy last year and now I need this documentation for the creditor committee proceedings. I have the original filing number but when I search their online portal it shows 'record not found.' The clerk suggested the lien might have been filed under a slightly different debtor name variation but I've tried every combination I can think of. Has anyone dealt with missing UCC records before? This is holding up a major asset recovery case and I'm running out of options. The original filing was definitely accepted because I have the filing receipt, but now it's like it never existed in their database.
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Lia Quinn
This happens more often than you'd think, especially with older filings. State systems get upgraded and sometimes records don't migrate properly. Did you try calling the filing office directly instead of using the online search? Sometimes their phone staff can access archived records that don't show up in the public portal.
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Jackie Martinez
•I called them twice actually. First person said the same thing as online - no record found. Second person said they'd escalate to their IT department but that was three weeks ago and still no response.
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Haley Stokes
•Three weeks with no follow-up from IT? That's ridiculous. You might need to go up the chain of command. Ask to speak with a supervisor or the filing office director.
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Asher Levin
Before you keep fighting with the state office, double-check that you're searching in the right jurisdiction. If the debtor had multiple business locations, the UCC might have been filed in a different state than you think. Also verify you have the exact legal entity name that was used on the original filing.
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Jackie Martinez
•Good point about jurisdiction. The debtor was incorporated in Delaware but had their main operations in Texas. I filed in Texas because that's where the collateral was located. The entity name on my filing receipt matches what I'm searching for exactly.
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Serene Snow
•Wait, if they were incorporated in Delaware but operating in Texas, you might need to check Delaware's records too. Sometimes corporate filings and UCC filings get cross-referenced in unexpected ways.
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Issac Nightingale
I had a similar nightmare situation last year where a UCC-1 just vanished from the system after a database migration. What finally worked was using Certana.ai's document verification tool - I uploaded my original filing receipt and it cross-referenced against multiple databases to confirm the filing details. Turned out the record was still there but indexed under a truncated version of the debtor name that wasn't showing up in manual searches.
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Jackie Martinez
•That's interesting - so Certana found the record even when the state's own system couldn't? How does that work exactly?
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Issac Nightingale
•Yeah, they have access to archived filing data that sometimes gets missed in standard portal searches. You just upload your documents and it does automated cross-checking across different database versions. Saved me weeks of back-and-forth with the filing office.
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Romeo Barrett
•I've heard good things about Certana but never tried it myself. Might be worth a shot if the state office keeps stonewalling you.
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Marina Hendrix
This is exactly why I always keep multiple copies of everything and take screenshots of the online filing confirmations. State databases are unreliable as hell and when you need the records most, that's when they disappear. Have you tried searching under variations of the filing number? Sometimes they get transcribed wrong during data entry.
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Jackie Martinez
•I tried adding and removing hyphens, switching the order of number groups, even tried it with leading zeros. Nothing worked. Your point about keeping screenshots is good advice though - learned that lesson the hard way.
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Justin Trejo
•Screenshots don't help much in court though. You really need certified copies from the filing office to prove the lien was properly perfected.
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Marina Hendrix
•True, but screenshots can at least prove you're not crazy when the filing office claims the record never existed in the first place.
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Alana Willis
If this is for bankruptcy proceedings, you might want to contact the bankruptcy trustee's office. They often have their own methods for tracking down missing UCC records, and they deal with this stuff all the time. Plus they have more leverage with state agencies than individual creditors do.
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Jackie Martinez
•Good suggestion. The trustee has been pretty responsive so far, so maybe they can help pressure the filing office to dig deeper.
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Tyler Murphy
•Bankruptcy trustees are definitely your best bet. They have relationships with all the filing offices and know who to call to get things moving.
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Sara Unger
Another thing to try is requesting the filing under the Freedom of Information Act if it's a public record. Sometimes that formal request process goes through different channels and can turn up records that regular searches miss. It takes longer but might be worth trying in parallel with your other efforts.
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Butch Sledgehammer
•FOIA requests for UCC records? I never thought of that. Do you know if that actually works?
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Sara Unger
•It's hit or miss, but I've seen it work when regular channels fail. The key is being very specific about what you're requesting and including all the details you have about the original filing.
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Freya Ross
•Worth a shot, especially since formal FOIA requests often get routed to different staff than regular customer service inquiries.
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Leslie Parker
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if the record truly is gone from their system and you can't get a certified copy, you might have bigger problems. Without proper documentation of the lien perfection, your secured position could be compromised in the bankruptcy proceedings. Hope you find it but you should probably start planning for that possibility too.
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Jackie Martinez
•That's exactly what I'm worried about. This represents a significant recovery amount and losing secured status would be devastating. Really hoping one of these suggestions pans out.
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Sergio Neal
•Don't panic yet. Courts understand that filing systems aren't perfect. If you have your original receipt and can show you made good faith efforts to obtain the certified copy, that should carry some weight.
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Savanna Franklin
•Plus if other liens from the same time period are also missing, that suggests a systemic problem with their database rather than an issue with your specific filing.
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Juan Moreno
One more idea - check if your original filing attorney or the bank that requested the filing has any additional documentation. Sometimes they keep more detailed records than what you might have, including correspondence with the filing office that could help track down the missing record.
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Jackie Martinez
•The original attorney retired but his firm might still have the file. I'll reach out to them tomorrow. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone - feeling more optimistic about finding this thing now.
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Amy Fleming
•Let us know how it turns out! This thread will be helpful for anyone else who runs into the same issue.
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Alice Pierce
•Definitely keep us posted. And seriously consider that Certana tool someone mentioned - might save you a lot of time and headaches.
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