Opinion ID: 2618281
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: unlicensed personnel

Text: PCTC asserts that the district court erred in finding the unlicensed AOI employees were performing tasks which were clerical in nature and under the supervision of a licensed abstractor. The parties stipulated that many of the employees were not licensed or if licensed, had worked for some time before acquiring a license. The stipulation contained a summary of the employees' duties and AOI's operations. The employees were trained by a licensed and experienced abstractor, monitored by him for a while, and then assigned to do the work which was checked periodically by licensed supervisors. Their work consisted of reviewing documents to determine the type of instrument, date, grantor, grantee, book and page number of the instrument and a legal description of the real property affected by the instrument. This information was then typed into a computer. Title 74 O.S.Supp. 1984, § 227.23(A)(5), lists the rights and responsibilities of those holding abstract licenses to include compiling, posting, copying, and maintaining their books, records, and indexes, i.e. their abstract plant. This provision seems to encompass those very acts which the typists were doing for AOI while without a license, and consequently, the record contains substantial evidence for the Auditor's finding that AOI used unlicensed employees. We agree with the district court, however, that these entries by unlicensed personnel made under the supervision of licensed supervisors do not violate the statutory provisions. Compilations and entries made under the direction of a licensed supervisor substantially comply with the law. See 74 O.S.Supp. 1984, § 227.24. Anything recorded by an unlicensed typist without proper licensed supervision may be deemed by the Auditor as material which does not comply with the law. The court was correct in overturning the Auditor's conclusion of law that it was necessary to destroy the recorded data which was taken from documents and typed by unlicensed AOI employees, and that a licensed employee should then search the records, prepare information and type it into the computer index. This order was beyond the Auditor's statutory authority. Pursuant to 74 O.S.Supp. 1984, § 227.13, the Auditor, as administrator of the new act, is charged, among other things, with prescribing rules and regulations necessary to implement the law and issuing licenses, certificates of authority, and permits upon proper examination. To enforce compliance, the Auditor has the power to suspend or revoke licenses and certificates of authority and to reprimand licensees and certificate holders or place them on probation or require additional education. Neither this nor any other provision in the act empowers the Auditor with authority which can be construed to allow the order of destruction. While he could deny a certificate of authority, the Auditor was without statutory authority to order AOI to destroy part of its abstract plant.