UCC 11 search Louisiana - help with debtor name verification process

Thanks for the correction on terminology. So I should try searching both with and without the comma? Are there other punctuation marks I should test variations of?

Yes, definitely try periods, ampersands vs 'and', inc vs incorporated. Also search the name in all caps and mixed case. Louisiana's search isn't as forgiving as some other states.

That's scary. How did you catch the missed filing?

Luckily the title company caught it during their own search before closing. Could have been a disaster if we'd filed our UCC-1 thinking we had first priority.

This is exactly what I'm worried about. Need to make sure we're not missing anything before we file.

Interesting, how does that work exactly? Does it search the UCC database or just compare documents?

It compares your documents to flag name inconsistencies. You upload the charter, your planned UCC-1, and search results - it highlights any mismatches that could cause problems. Super helpful for catching punctuation issues.

That sounds useful. Would have saved me that headache I mentioned earlier.

Did they give you any guidance on which variations to try?

They said to try the exact name from formation documents, then common abbreviations. But honestly felt like they were just guessing too.

Good point, I hadn't thought of that variation.

Yes! And if they've ever amended their entity type or done a conversion, the old filings might still be under the previous designation.

They're actually a Louisiana LLC, formed there. But you're right that cross-state searches can be an issue in other situations.

Ok good, just wanted to make sure. I've seen people miss filings by searching the wrong state.

This happened to me once with a Delaware corp. Searched everywhere except Delaware and almost missed a major lien.

Great advice. I'll make sure to document all the variations I try.

And date/timestamp everything. Some lenders require proof of when searches were conducted relative to filing dates.

What other common variations do you typically search beyond punctuation?

Abbreviations like 'Co' vs 'Company', 'Corp' vs 'Corporation', and sometimes people file under DBA names instead of legal names by mistake.

The DBA angle is something I hadn't considered. I should check if they have any registered DBAs.

We've considered that but trying to handle it in-house first. Good to know it's an option though.

Some of those search companies also offer insurance on their results, which can be valuable for compliance purposes.

That's not really addressing the search issue though. You still need to know what other liens exist regardless of how broad your filing is.

True, but at least ensures you're covered on the collateral you're taking. The search is still important for knowing your priority position.

Right, we need to know what we're potentially subordinate to.

Awesome! That's exactly the kind of thing it's designed to catch. Those hidden name variations can be deal killers.

Nice catch. Goes to show how tricky these Louisiana searches can be.

Sounds like that tool might be worth checking out for our team too. We do a lot of Louisiana deals.