Section 436-5-503 - Search methodologySearch results are produced by the application of search logic to the name presented to the Filing office. Human judgment does not play a role in determining the results of the search.
503.1 Standard search logic. The following rules describe the Filing office's standard search logic and apply to all searches except as provided 503.2.1.
503.1.1 There is no limit to the number of matches that may be returned in response to the search criteria.503.1.2 No distinction is made between upper and lower case letters.503.1.3 Punctuation marks and accents are disregarded. For the purposes of this rule, punctuation and accents include all characters other than the numerals 0 through 9 and the letters A through Z (in upper and lower case) of the English alphabet.503.1.4 All spaces are disregarded.503.1.5 The following rules apply only to organization names:(a) The character "&" (the ampersand) is deleted and replaced with the characters "and" each place it appears in the name.(b) The following words and abbreviations at the end of an organization name that indicate the existence or nature of the organization are "disregarded" to the extent practicable as determined by the Filing office's programming of its UCC information management system: Agency, Association, Assn, Associates, Assc, Assoc, Attorneys at Law, Bank, National Bank, Business Trust, Charter, Chartered, Company, Co, Corporation, Corp, Credit Union, CU, Federal Savings Bank, FSB, General Partnership, Gen part, GP, Incorporated, Inc, Limited, Ltd, Ltee, Limited Liability Company, LC, LLC, Limited Partnership, LP, Limited Liability Partnership, LLP, Medical Doctors Professional Association, MDPA, Medical Doctors Professional Corporation, MDPC, National Association, NA, Partners, Partnership, Professional Association, Prof Assn, PA, Professional Corporation, Prof Corp, PC, Professional Limited Liability Company, Professional Limited Liability Co, PLLC, Railroad, RR, Real Estate Investment Trust, REIT, Registered Limited Liability Partnership, RLLP, Savings Association, SA, Savings Association, SA, Service Corporation, SC, Sole Proprietorship, SP, SPA, Trust, Trustee, As Trustee.(c) The word "the" at the beginning of an organization debtor name is disregarded.503.1.6 The following search rules apply to individual debtor names:(a) Surname: The individual debtor surname on a filed record must exactly match the surname of the search request. The search logic does not provide equivalencies for the surname filed, nor does the search logic disregard titles, suffixes or ending noise words of any type if entered in the surname field.(b) First Personal Name. The following equivalencies apply:(1) A first personal name is the logical equivalent of the first initial of the name.(2) An initial (a single letter) is the logical equivalent of all first personal names that begin with that letter.(3) No first personal name or initial is the logical equivalent of all first personal names and initials.(c) Additional Names/Initials. The following equivalencies apply: (1) A name is the logical equivalent of the first initial of the name.(2) An initial (a single letter) is the logical equivalent of all names that begin with that letter and no entry in the additional names/initials field.(3) No entry in the additional names/initials field is the logical equivalent of all names and initials.(d) Search Results. Only records that exactly match the surname field under subsection (a); exactly match the first personal name after application of the equivalency rules in subsection (b); and that exactly match the additional names/initials field after application of the equivalency rules in subsection (c) will be reported.(e) Single Names. If the name being searched is the surname of an individual debtor name without any first personal name or additional name(s)/initial(s) provided, the search will retrieve from the UCC information management system all financing statements with individual debtor names that consist of only the surname.(f) Search Result Examples (1) A search request for "John A. Smith" (first personal name and surname with an initial in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field) would cause the search to retrieve all filings against all individual debtors with (i) "John" or the initial "J" as the first personal name, (ii) "Smith" as the surname, and (iii) no name or initial, the initial "A" or any name beginning with "A" in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field.(2) A search request for "J.A. Smith" (initial for first personal name, surname and an initial in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field), would retrieve all filings against individual debtors with (i) the initial "J" or any name beginning with "J" as the first personal name (ii) "Smith" as the surname, and (iii) no name or initial, the initial "A" or any name beginning with "A" in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field.(3) A search for "John Smith" (first personal and surname with no designation in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field), would retrieve all filings against individual debtors with (i) "John" or the initial "J" as the first personal name, (ii) "Smith" as the surname and with any name or initial or no name or initial in the additional name(s)/initial(s) field.503.1.5 After applying the preceding rules to the name being searched, the search will retrieve from the UCC information management system's searchable index all Unlapsed Records, or, if requested by the searcher, all records, that pertain to financing statements with debtor names that, after application of this Rule 503, exactly match the name being searched.503.2 Non-standard (wild-card) search logic. 503.2.1 A non-standard (wild-card) search methodology is used to check against non-UCC liens or miscellaneous liens maintained by the Filing office including Federal Tax Liens, State Tax Liens, and Judgment liens (including Abstract of Judgment, Criminal Fine Enforcement and Notice of Lien for Fine or Penalty for Sentencing), and Farm Product Security Interests (EFS statements).436 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 5, § 503