State Ex Rel. Watkins v. Simonds

It is the duty of the register of deeds to register all written instruments the registration of which is required or authorized, and to keep in his office full and complete alphabetical indexes of the names of the parties. No instrument is deemed to be registered until it is indexed as the statute provides. N. C. Code 1931, sees. 3553, 3561; Fowls v. Ham, 176 N. C., 12; Heaton v. Heaton, 196 N. C., 475; Story v. Slade, 199 N. C., 596. If the register makes negligent default in the performance of this duty and pecuniary injury to the claimant is caused thereby the register and his official…