Orleans Parish tech chief no longer at post after computer crash

The Orleans Parish Civil District Court's technology chief for the past four years is no longer in her post after a computer crash wiped out thousands of real estate records.

Tynia Landry, who became the court's system administrator in 2000 and then the technology chief in 2006, has been replaced by Peter Haas. Court spokesman Walt Pierce would not confirm whether or not Landry had been fired, only saying that she was no longer at her post.

Pierce did confirm reports that Orleans judges had resolved to split the costs of recovering the more than 150,000 mortgages and conveyance records that were lost during the October computer crash. Clerk of Court Dale Atkins' office will assume the other half of the costs.

Atkins stated that the total costs of recovering the files – including overtime, extra staffing and outside contractors – will exceed $300,000. The court has resolved to add extra layers of backup to its system, as well as keeping a remote backup with the California tech company i365.

Since the crash, the New Orleans real estate market has hit a stand still because the records are vital for closing sales in the city.

Almost all of the records have been recovered, though Atkins' office has said it will take another month for the entire process to be completed.