A title search is a detailed examination of records concerning a specific property. These records include deeds, mortgages, court records, property and name indexes, federal or state tax liens, special assessments and many other documents. The purpose of the search is to verify the property owner’s right to sell or finance the property and to discover any claims or defects to the property. A title search by itself is not a title policy but it is a tool used during the title commitment process to assess a property’s associated risk.