Wrongful foreclosure and California Judge Firmat

Orange County (Cali) Superior Court Judge Firmat posted these notes on
the law and motion calendar to assist attorneys pleading various
theories in wrongful foreclosure cases etc.  Some interesting
points….

FOOTNOTES TO DEPT. C-15 LAW AND MOTION CALENDARS

Note 1 – Cause of Action Under CCC § 2923.5, Post Trustee’s Sale –
There is no private right of action under Section 2923.5 once the
trustee’s sale has occurred.  The “only remedy available under the
Section is a postponement of the sale before it happens.”  Mabry v.
Superior  Court, 185 Cal. App. 4th 208, 235 (2010).

Note 2 – Cause of Action Under CCC § 2923.6 – There is no private
right of action under Section 2923.6, and it does not operate
substantively.  Mabry v. Superior Court, 185 Cal. App. 4th 208,
222-223 (2010).  “Section 2923.6 merely expresses the hope that
lenders will offer loan modifications on certain terms.”  Id. at 222.

Note 3 – Cause of Action for Violation of CCC §§ 2923.52 and / or
2923.53 – There is no private right of action.  Vuki v. Superior
Court, 189 Cal. App. 4th 791, 795 (2010).

Note 4 –  Cause of Action for Fraud, Requirement of Specificity – “To
establish a claim for fraudulent misrepresentation, the plaintiff must
prove: (1) the defendant represented to the plaintiff that an
important fact was true; (2) that representation was false; (3) the
defendant knew that the representation was false when the defendant
made it, or the defendant made the representation recklessly and
without regard for its truth; (4) the defendant intended that the
plaintiff rely on the representation; (5) the plaintiff reasonably
relied on the representation; (6) the plaintiff was harmed; and, (7)
the plaintiff’s reliance on the defendant’s representation was a
substantial factor in causing that harm to the plaintiff. Each element
in a cause of action for fraud must be factually and specifically
alleged. In a fraud claim against a corporation, a plaintiff must
allege the names of the persons who made the misrepresentations, their
authority to speak for the corporation, to whom they spoke, what they
said or wrote, and when it was said or written.”  Perlas v. GMAC
Mortg., LLC, 187 Cal. App. 4th 429, 434 (2010) (citations and
quotations omitted).

Note 5 –Fraud – Statute of Limitations- The statute of limitations for
fraud is three years.  CCP § 338(d).  To the extent Plaintiff wishes
to rely on the delayed discovery rule, Plaintiff must plead the
specific facts showing (1) the time and manner of discovery and (2)
the inability to have made earlier discovery despite reasonable
diligence.”  Fox v. Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., 35 Cal. 4th 797, 808
(2005).

Note 6 – Cause of Action for Negligent Misrepresentation – “The
elements of negligent misrepresentation are (1) the misrepresentation
of a past or existing material fact, (2) without reasonable ground for
believing it to be true, (3) with intent to induce another’s reliance
on the fact misrepresented, (4) justifiable reliance on the
misrepresentation, and (5) resulting damage.  While there is some
conflict in the case law discussing the precise degree of
particularity required in the pleading of a claim for negligent
misrepresentation, there is a consensus that the causal elements,
particularly the allegations of reliance, must be specifically
pleaded.”  National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA v. Cambridge
Integrated Services Group, Inc., 171 Cal. App. 4th 35, 50 (2009)
(citations and quotations omitted).

Note 7 – Cause of Action for Breach of Fiduciary Duty by Lender –
“Absent special circumstances a loan transaction is at arm’s length
and there is no fiduciary relationship between the borrower and
lender. A commercial lender pursues its own economic interests in
lending money. A lender owes no duty of care to the borrowers in
approving their loan. A lender is under no duty to determine the
borrower’s ability to repay the loan. The lender’s efforts to
determine the creditworthiness and ability to repay by a borrower are
for the lender’s protection, not the borrower’s.”  Perlas v. GMAC
Mortg., LLC, 187 Cal. App. 4th 429, 436 (2010) (citations and
quotations omitted).

Note 8 – Cause of Action for Constructive Fraud – “A relationship need
not be a fiduciary one in order to give rise to constructive fraud.
Constructive fraud also applies to nonfiduciary “confidential
relationships.” Such a confidential relationship may exist whenever a
person with justification places trust and confidence in the integrity
and fidelity of another. A confidential relation exists between two
persons when one has gained the confidence of the other and purports
to act or advise with the other’s interest in mind. A confidential
relation may exist although there is no fiduciary relation ….”
Tyler v. Children’s  Home Society, 29 Cal. App. 4th 511, 549 (1994)
(citations and quotations omitted).

Note 9 – Cause of Action for an Accounting – Generally, there is no
fiduciary duty between a lender and borrower.  Perlas v. GMAC Mortg.,
LLC, 187 Cal. App. 4th 429, 436 (2010).  Further, Plaintiff (borrower)
has not alleged any facts showing that a balance would be due from the
Defendant lender to Plaintiff.  St. James Church of Christ Holiness v.
Superior Court, 135 Cal. App. 2d 352, 359 (1955).  Any other duty to
provide an accounting only arises when a written request for one is
made prior to the NTS being recorded.  CCC § 2943(c).

Note 10 – Cause of Action for Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good
Faith and Fair Dealing – “[W]ith the exception of bad faith insurance
cases, a breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing permits
a recovery solely in contract.  Spinks v. Equity Residential Briarwood
Apartments, 171 Cal. App. 4th 1004, 1054 (2009).  In order to state a
cause of action for Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and
Fair Dealing, a valid contract between the parties must be alleged.
The implied covenant cannot be extended to create obligations not
contemplated by the contract.  Racine & Laramie v. Department of Parks
and Recreation, 11 Cal. App. 4th 1026, 1031-32 (1992).

Note 11 – Cause of Action for Breach of Contract – “A cause of action
for damages for breach of contract is comprised of the following
elements: (1) the contract, (2) plaintiff’s performance or excuse for
nonperformance, (3) defendant’s breach, and (4) the resulting damages
to plaintiff. It is elementary that one party to a contract cannot
compel another to perform while he himself is in default. While the
performance of an allegation can be satisfied by allegations in
general terms, excuses must be pleaded specifically.”  Durell v. Sharp
Healthcare, 183 Cal. App. 4th 1350, 1367 (2010) (citations and
quotations omitted).

Note 12 – Cause of Action for Injunctive Relief – Injunctive relief is
a remedy and not a cause of action.  Guessous v. Chrome Hearts, LLC,
179 Cal. App. 4th 1177, 1187 (2009).

Note 13 – Cause of Action for Negligence – “Under the common law,
banks ordinarily have limited duties to borrowers. Absent special
circumstances, a loan does not establish a fiduciary relationship
between a commercial bank and its debtor. Moreover, for purposes of a
negligence claim, as a general rule, a financial institution owes no
duty of care to a borrower when the institution’s involvement in the
loan transaction does not exceed the scope of its conventional role as
a mere lender of money. As explained in Sierra-Bay Fed. Land Bank
Assn. v. Superior Court (1991) 227 Cal.App.3d 318, 334, 277 Cal.Rptr.
753, “[a] commercial lender is not to be regarded as the guarantor of
a borrower’s success and is not liable for the hardships which may
befall a borrower. It is simply not tortious for a commercial lender
to lend money, take collateral, or to foreclose on collateral when a
debt is not paid. And in this state a commercial lender is privileged
to pursue its own economic interests and may properly assert its
contractual rights.”  Das v. Bank of America, N.A., 186 Cal. App. 4th
727, 740-741 (2010) (citations and quotations omitted).

Note 14 – Cause of Action to Quiet Title – To assert a cause of action
to quiet title, the complaint must be verified and meet the other
pleading requirements set forth in CCP § 761.020.

Note 15 – Causes of Action for Slander of Title – The recordation of
the Notice of Default and Notice of Trustee’s Sale are privileged
under CCC § 47, pursuant to CCC § 2924(d)(1), and the recordation of
them cannot support a cause of action for slander of title against the
trustee.  Moreover, “[i]n performing acts required by [the article
governing non-judicial foreclosures], the trustee shall incur no
liability for any good faith error resulting from reliance on
information provided in good faith by the beneficiary regarding the
nature and the amount of the default under the secured obligation,
deed of trust, or mortgage. In performing the acts required by [the
article governing nonjudicial foreclosures], a trustee shall not be
subject to [the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act].”  CCC §
2924(b).

Note 16 – Cause of Action for Violation of Civil Code § 1632 – Section
1632, by its terms, does not apply to loans secured by real property.
CCC § 1632(b).

Note 17 – Possession of the original promissory note – “Under Civil
Code section 2924, no party needs to physically possess the promissory
note.” Sicairos v. NDEX West, LLC, 2009 WL 385855 (S.D. Cal. 2009)
(citing CCC § 2924(a)(1); see also Lomboy v. SCME Mortgage Bankers,
2009 WL 1457738 * 12-13 (N.D. Cal. 2009) (“Under California law, a
trustee need not possess a note in order to initiate foreclosure under
a deed of trust.”).

Note 18 – Statute of Frauds, Modification of Loan Documents – An
agreement to modify a note secured by a deed of trust must be in
writing signed by the party to be charged, or it is barred by the
statute of frauds.  Secrest v. Security Nat. Mortg. Loan Trust 2002-2,
167 Cal. App. 4th 544, 552-553 (2008).

Note 19 – Statute of Frauds, Forebearance Agreement – An agreement to
forebear from foreclosing on real property under a deed of trust must
be in writing and signed by the party to be charged or it is barred by
the statute of frauds.  Secrest v. Security Nat. Mortg. Loan Trust
2002-2, 167 Cal. App. 4th 544, 552-553 (2008).

Note 20 – Tender – A borrower attacking a voidable sale must do equity
by tendering the amount owing under the loan.  The tender rule applies
to all causes of action implicitly integrated with the sale.  Arnolds
Management Corp. v. Eischen, 158 Cal. App. 3d 575, 579 (1984).

Note 21 – Cause of Action for Violation of Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200 –
“The UCL does not proscribe specific activities, but broadly prohibits
any unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business act or practice and
unfair, deceptive, untrue or misleading advertising. The UCL governs
anti-competitive business practices as well as injuries to consumers,
and has as a major purpose the preservation of fair business
competition. By proscribing “any unlawful business practice,” section
17200 “borrows” violations of other laws and treats them as unlawful
practices that the unfair competition law makes independently
actionable.  Because section 17200 is written in the disjunctive, it
establishes three varieties of unfair competition-acts or practices
which are unlawful, or unfair, or fraudulent. In other words, a
practice is prohibited as “unfair” or “deceptive” even if not
“unlawful” and vice versa.”  Puentes v. Wells Fargo Home Mortg., Inc.,
160 Cal. App. 4th 638, 643-644 (2008) (citations and quotations
omitted).

“Unfair” Prong

[A]ny finding of unfairness to competitors under section 17200 [must]
be tethered to some legislatively declared policy or proof of some
actual or threatened impact on competition. We thus adopt the
following test: When a plaintiff who claims to have suffered injury
from a direct competitor’s “unfair” act or practice invokes section
17200, the word “unfair” in that section means conduct that threatens
an incipient violation of an antitrust law, or violates the policy or
spirit of one of those laws because its effects are comparable to or
the same as a violation of the law, or otherwise significantly
threatens or harms competition.

Cel-Tech Communications, Inc. v. Los Angeles Cellular Telephone Co.,
20 Cal. 4th 163, 186-187 (1999).

“Fraudulent” Prong

The term “fraudulent” as used in section 17200 does not refer to the
common law tort of fraud but only requires a showing members of the
public are likely to be deceived. Unless the challenged conduct
targets a particular disadvantaged or vulnerable group, it is judged
by the effect it would have on a reasonable consumer.

Puentes, 160 Cal. App. 4th at 645 (citations and quotations
omitted).

“Unlawful” Prong

By proscribing “any unlawful” business practice, Business and
Professions Code section 17200 “borrows” violations of other laws and
treats them as unlawful practices that the UCL makes independently
actionable. An unlawful business practice under Business and
Professions Code section 17200 is an act or practice, committed
pursuant to business activity, that is at the same time forbidden by
law. Virtually any law -federal, state or local – can serve as a
predicate for an action under Business and Professions Code section
17200.

Hale v. Sharp Healthcare, 183 Cal. App. 4th 1373, 1382-1383 (2010)
(citations and quotations omitted).

“A plaintiff alleging unfair business practices under these statutes
must state with reasonable particularity the facts supporting the
statutory elements of the violation.”  Khoury v. Maly’s of California,
Inc., 14 Cal. App. 4th 612, 619 (1993) (citations and quotations
omitted).

Note 22 – Cause of Action for Intentional Infliction of Emotional
Distress –  Collection of amounts due under a loan or restructuring a
loan in a way that remains difficult for the borrower to repay is not
“outrageous” conduct.  Price v. Wells Fargo Bank, 213 Cal. App. 3d
465, 486 (1989).

Note 23 – Cause of Action for Negligent Infliction of Emotional
Distress – Emotional distress damages are not recoverable where the
emotional distress arises solely from property damage or economic
injury to the plaintiff.  Butler-Rupp v. Lourdeaux, 134 Cal. App. 4th
1220, 1229 (2005).

Note 24 – Cause of Action for Conspiracy – There is no stand-alone
claim for conspiracy.  Applied Equipment Corp. v. Litton Saudi Arabia
Ltd., 7 Cal. 4th 503, 510-511 (1994).

Note 25 – Cause of Action for Declaratory Relief – A claim for
declaratory relief is not “proper” since the dispute has crystallized
into COA under other theories asserted in other causes of actions in
the complaint.  Cardellini v. Casey, 181 Cal. App. 3d 389, 397-398
(1986).

Note 26 – Cause of Action for Violation of the Fair Debt Collection
Practices Acts – Foreclosure activities are not considered “debt
collection” activities.  Gamboa v. Trustee Corps, 2009 WL 656285, at
*4 (N.D. Cal. March 12, 2009).

Note 27 – Duties of the Foreclosure Trustee – The foreclosure
trustee’s rights, powers and duties regarding the notice of default
and sale are strictly defined and limited by the deed of trust and
governing statutes.  The duties cannot be expanded by the Courts and
no other common law duties exist.  Diediker v. Peelle Financial Corp.,
60 Cal. App. 4th 288, 295 (1997).

Note 28 – Unopposed Demurrer – The Demurrer is sustained [w/ or w/o]
leave to amend [and the RJN granted].  Service was timely and good and
no opposition was filed.
Failure to oppose the Demurrer may be construed as having abandoned
the claims.  See, Herzberg v. County of Plumas, 133 Cal. App. 4th 1,
20 (2005) (“Plaintiffs did not oppose the County’s demurrer to this
portion of their seventh cause of action and have submitted no
argument on the issue in their briefs on appeal.  Accordingly, we deem
plaintiffs to have abandoned the issue.”).

Note 29 – Responding on the Merits Waives Any Service Defect – “It is
well settled that the appearance of a party at the hearing of a motion
and his or her opposition to the motion on its merits is a waiver of
any defects or irregularities in the notice of the motion.”  Tate v.
Superior Court, 45 Cal. App. 3d 925, 930 (1975) (citations omitted).

Note 30 – Unargued Points – “Contentions are waived when a party fails
to support them with reasoned argument and citations to authority.”
Moulton Niguel Water Dist. v. Colombo, 111 Cal. App. 4th 1210, 1215
(2003).

Note 31 – Promissory Estoppel – “The doctrine of promissory estoppel
makes a promise binding under certain circumstances, without
consideration in the usual sense of something bargained for and given
in exchange. Under this doctrine a promisor is bound when he should
reasonably expect a substantial change of position, either by act or
forbearance, in reliance on his promise, if injustice can be avoided
only by its enforcement. The vital principle is that he who by his
language or conduct leads another to do what he would not otherwise
have done shall not subject such person to loss or injury by
disappointing the expectations upon which he acted. In such a case,
although no consideration or benefit accrues to the person making the
promise, he is the author or promoter of the very condition of affairs
which stands in his way; and when this plainly appears, it is most
equitable that the court should say that they shall so stand.”  Garcia
v. World Sav., FSB, 183 Cal. App. 4th 1031, 1039-1041 (2010)
(citations quotations and footnotes omitted).

Note 32 – Res Judicata Effect of Prior UD Action – Issues of title are
very rarely tried in an unlawful detainer action and moving party has
failed to meet the burden of demonstrating that the title issue was
fully and fairly adjudicated in the underlying unlawful detainer.
Vella v. Hudgins, 20 Cal. 3d 251, 257 (1977).  The burden of proving
the elements of res judicata is on the party asserting it.  Id. The
Malkoskie case is distinguishable because, there, the unlimited
jurisdiction judge was convinced that the title issue was somehow
fully resolved by the stipulated judgment entered in the unlawful
detainer court.  Malkoskie v. Option One Mortg. Corp., 188 Cal. App.
4th 968, 972 (2010).

Note 33 – Applicability of US Bank v. Ibanez – The Ibanez case, 458
Mass. 637 (January 7, 2011), does not appear to assist Plaintiff in
this action.  First, the Court notes that this case was decided by the
Massachusetts Supreme Court, such that it is persuasive authority, and
not binding authority.  Second, the procedural posture in this case is
different than that found in a case challenging a non-judicial
foreclosure in California.  In Ibanez, the lender brought suit in the
trial court to quiet title to the property after the foreclosure sale,
with the intent of having its title recognized (essentially validating
the trustee’s sale).  As the plaintiff, the lender was required to
show it had the power and authority to foreclose, which is
established, in part, by showing that it was the holder of the
promissory note.  In this action, where the homeowner is in the role
of the plaintiff challenging the non-judicial foreclosure, the lender
need not establish that it holds the note.

Note 34 – Statutes of Limitations for TILA and RESPA Claims – For TILA
claims, the statute of limitations for actions for damages runs one
year after the loan origination.  15 U.S.C. § 1640(e).  For actions
seeking rescission, the statute of limitations is three years from
loan origination.  15 U.S.C. § 1635(f).  For RESPA, actions brought
for lack of notice of change of loan servicer have a statute of
limitation of three years from the date of the occurrence, and actions
brought for payment of kickbacks for real estate settlement services,
or the conditioning of the sale on selection of certain title services
have a statute of limitations of one year from the date of the
occurrence.  12 U.S.C. § 2614.

Yau v. Deutsche FIRST AMENDED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Yau_-_complaint_First_Amended_Pleading.78103044

FIRST AMENDED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
Yau v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Americas
Request for IMMEDIATE RELIEF:

Lenore L. Albert, Esq. SBN 210876
LAW OFFICES OF LENORE ALBERT
7755 Center Avenue, Suite #1100
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Telephone (714) 372-2264
Facsimile (419) 831-3376
Email: lenorealbert@msn.com
Attorney for Plaintiffs and the Class
EDDIE YAU, GLORIA YAU,
ROBERT H. RHOADES, NICOLE
RHOADES, STEVE BURKE, CHEN
PI AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND AS
TRUSTEE FOR THE PI TRUST
DATED MAY 17, 2004, SALIM
BENSRHIR, KIMBERLY
CHRISTENSEN, ALICE MBAABU,
CARMEN ARBALLO, ANGELA
BROWN, ANTHONY JOHNSON,
OTIS BANKS, RICHARD
APOSTOLOS, REGAN OWEN,
JENNIFER OWEN, JOANNE
ANDERSON, JEREMY JOHN DALE,
DOUGLAS L. EDMAN, and
DOUGLAS L. EDMAN and ERIC
EDMAN as trustees of the HIGH
DESERT ENTERPRISES TRUST,
on behalf of themselves and all others
similarly situated,
Plaintiffs,
vs.
DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL
TRUST COMPANY, DEUTSCHE
1. Breach/Unjust Enrichment
2. HAMP Breach/Unjust Enrichment
3. Breach of Contract – Third Party Ben.
4. Declaratory Relief/Default Cured
5. Declaratory Relief/Unsecured Creditor
6. Declaratory Relief/Fees and Costs
7. Fraud
8. Injunctive Relief
9. Accounting
10.Unlawful/Unfair Acts §17200
11.Fraud
12.Declaratory Relief/Injunction
[ ]
***
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
CASE NO. SACV11-0006-JVS (RNBx)
Assigned for all purposes to the honorable:
James V. Selna
FIRST AMENDED CLASS ACTION
COMPLAINT
Demand for Jury Trial
FIRST AMENDED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
Yau v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Americas
TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER and
INJUNCTION filed Concurrently herewith

BANK TRUST COMPANY
AMERICAS and AURORA LOAN
SERVICES, LLC, Inclusive,
Defendants.
***
FIRST AMENDED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
Yau v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Americas
Plaintiffs, by and through their attorney, bring this action on behalf of themselves
and all others similarly situated against Deutsche Bank National Trust Company
(“DBNT” or “Defendant”). Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (“DBTCA” or
“Defendant”) and Aurora Loan Services, LLC. (“Aurora” or “Defendant”). Plaintiffs
allege the following on information and belief, except as to those allegations which
pertain to the named Plaintiffs:
1. Plaintiffs bring this action to challenge the defendants’ manipulation and use of
the federal and state programs surrounding the mortgage crisis, such as HAMP and other
foreclosure prevention services.
2. The defendants defaulted the plaintiffs and those similarly situated then offered
them federal and state home retention programs such as Home Affordability
Modification Program agreements (HAMP).
3. After the Plaintiffs made their post default payments as requested, the
defendants never-the-less denied the permanent modification, did not cure the default or
reinstate the plaintiffs’ loans on the grounds they couldn’t get the loan to work.
4. The program guidelines state that if the Net Present Value (“NPV”) of the loan
modification is greater than the NPV at foreclosure, then the lenders modify the
loan.
1. Introduction
5. Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that the defendants were
already made whole upon the loans because these loans were securitized with credit
default swaps (“CDS”) and other security interests, and the CDS were factored into the
NPV and not merely the amount that the defendants may receive on a foreclosure sale.
6. The securitization of their loans with CDS was never revealed to the plaintiffs
and the Class prior to their default.
7. The Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action under 28 USC § 1331
wherein the action arises under the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United States.
8. The Court has personal jurisdiction over the defendants in this action by the
fact that the Defendants are corporations conducting business in the state of California.
9. Venue is proper in this Court pursuant to 28 USC § 1392 because the action
involves real property located in both the Central and Southern District of California; and
pursuant to 28 USC § 1391(b) inasmuch as defendant DBNT and DBTCA reside in the
Central District of California, and a substantial part of the events or omissions on which
the claims are based occurred in this District.
10.Plaintiffs Eddie Yau and Gloria Yau (the “Yaus,” “plaintiff,” “plaintiffs” or
“borrowers”) are a married couple residing in Vista, California. Plaintiff is now, and at
all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the owner of real property
2. Jurisdiction and Venue
3. The Parties
commonly known as 1307 Summer Court, Vista, California 92084 (“subject property”).
Douglas L. Edman was the borrower on the loan.
11.Plaintiffs Robert Rhoades and Nicole Rhoades (the “Rhoades,” “plaintiff,” or
“borrowers”) are a married couple residing in Chino, California. Plaintiff is now, and at
all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the owner of real property
commonly known as 7746 Holland Park, Chino, California 92401 (“subject property”).
Robert Rhoades was the borrower on the loan.
12.Plaintiff Steve Burke is an adult residing in Paradise, California. Plaintiff is
now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the owner of real
property commonly known as 5871 Pine Circle, Paradise, California 95969 (“subject
property”). Steve Burke was the borrower on the loan.
13.Plaintiff Chen Pi, acting on her own behalf and as trustee for the Pi Trust dated
May 17, 2004 resides in La Puente California. Plaintiff is now, and at all times
mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the owner of real property commonly
known as17116 Samgerry Dr., La Puente, California (“subject property”). Chen Pi was
the borrower on the loan.
14.Plaintiff Otis Banks is an individual residing in Inglewood, California. Plaintiff
is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the owner of real
property commonly known as 5408-5408 ½ 8TH Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90045
(“subject property”). Otis Banks was the borrower on the loan.

15.Plaintiff Salim Bensrhir and Kimberly Christensen are a married couple
residing in Los Angeles, California. Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein
relevant to this complaint was the owner of real property commonly known as 842 N
Dillon Street, Los Angeles, California 90026 (“subject property”). Salim Bensrhir and
Kimberly Christensen were the borrowers on the loan.
16.Plaintiff Alice Mbaabu is an individual residing in Fontana, California.
Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the
owner of real property commonly known as 13536 Whipple Street, Fontana, California
92336 (“subject property”). Alice Mbaabu was the borrower on the loan.
17.Plaintiff Carmen Arballo is an individual residing in Chino, California.
Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the
owner of real property commonly known as 6952 Gloria Street, Chino, California 91710
(“subject property”). Carmen Arballo was the borrower on the loan.
18.Plaintiff Angela Brown is an individual residing in Stockton, California.
Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the
owner of real property commonly known as 4516 Abruzzi Circle, Stockton, California
95206 (“subject property”). Angela Brown was the borrower on the loan.
19.Plaintiff Anthony Johnson is an individual is an individual residing in Corona,
California. Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint
was the owner of real property commonly known as 382 Minaret Street, Corona, CA
92881 (“subject property”). Anthony R. Johnson was the borrower on the loan.
20.Plaintiff Richard Apostolos is an individual residing in Perris, California.
Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the
owner of real property commonly known as 21200 Mountain Ave., Perris, California
92570 (“subject property”). Richard Apostolos was the borrower on the loan.
21.Regan Owen and Jennifer Owen are a married couple residing in Chula Vista,
California. Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint
was the owner of real property commonly known as 2872 Ranch Gate Rd., Chula Vista,
California (“subject property”). Regan Owen was the borrower on the loan.
22.Plaintiff Joanne Anderson is an individual residing in Laguna Niguel,
California. Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint
was the owner of real property commonly known as 24291 Park Pl Dr, Laguna Niguel,
CA 92677 (“subject property”). Joanne Anderson was the borrower on the loan.
23. Jeremy John Dale is an individual residing in Paynes Creek, California.
Plaintiff is now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the
owner of real property commonly known as 30510 HWY 36 East, Paynes Creek,
California 96075 (“subject property”). Jeremy John Dale was the borrower on the loan.
24.Douglas L. Edman is an individual residing in Malibu, California. Plaintiff is
now, and at all times mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the owner of real
property commonly known as 612 Thrift Road, Malibu, California 90265 (“subject
property”). Douglas L. Edman was the borrower on the loan.
25.Douglas L. Edman and Eric Edman as trustees of the HIGH DESERT
ENTERPRISES TRUST reside in Malibu, California. Plaintiff is now, and at all times
mentioned herein relevant to this complaint was the owner of real property commonly
known as 612 Thrift Road, Malibu, California 90265 (“subject property”). Douglas L.
Edman was the borrower on the loan. Then after the loan was made, the property was
transferred by Douglas L. Edman to Douglas L. Edman, Trustee of the High Desert
Enterprises Trust.
26.Defendant DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY (“DBNT”
or “Custodian”) has its principal place of business at 1761 Saint Andrews Place, Santa
Ana, CA 92705.
27.Defendant DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
(“DBTCA”) has its principal place of business at 1761 Saint Andrews Place, Santa Ana,
CA 92705. When DBNT and DBTCA are mentioned together in this complaint they
may be referred to as “Deutsche Bank.”
28.Defendant AURORA LOAN SERVICES, LLC (“Aurora” or “loan servicer”) is
headquartered in Littleton, Colorado and regularly conducts business in the state of
California.

29. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and allege thereon that their loans are in
securitized trusts where the defendants are either the Servicer, Custodian, or Trustee of
that trust.
30.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that DBNTC and
DBTCA act as board members and are referred to as the Company each with different
duties in the trusts.
31.DBNTC and DBTCA are both subsidiaries created by nonparty Deutsche Bank
Company (“DBC”) which has its principal place of business in Germany. Plaintiff is
informed and believes and alleges thereon DBNTC and DBTCA were either acting in
concert, instructing, adopting, ratifying, assisting DBC’s conduct as alleged in this
complaint through an agency or contractual relationship. As such, the actions or failure
to act are the actions or failure to act of each other.
32.Nonparty FANNIE MAE/FREDDIE MAC (“Fannie Mae”) entered into an
agreement with defendant Aurora of which the plaintiffs and the Class were intended
beneficiaries.
33.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that each defendant is
responsible in some manner for the occurrences alleged in this complaint, and that
plaintiff’s damages were proximately caused by the defendants and at all times
mentioned in this complaint, were the agents, servants, representatives, and/or employees
of their co-defendants, and in doing the things hereinafter alleged were acting in the
scope of their authority as agents, servants, representatives, family members and/or
employees, and with the permission and consent of their co-defendants.
34.Additionally, plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that each
defendant assisted, aided and abetted, adopted, ratified, approved, or condoned the
actions of every other defendant and that each corporate defendant, if any, was acting as
the alter ego of the other in the acts alleged herein.
35.On March 4, 2009 President Obama signed into law the Making Home
Affordable Plan as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. It is in
two parts: the Home Affordable Refinance program (“HARP”) and the Home Affordable
Modification program (“HAMP”).
36.Under these programs, the U.S. Department of the Treasury directed the large
national bank servicers to take corrective action by providing loan modifications that
produced more sustainable loan payments.
37.On March 4, 2009 the U.S. Department of the Treasury explained,
38.With the information now available, servicers can begin immediately to modify
eligible mortgages under the Modification program so that at-risk borrowers can better
afford their payments.
39.Aurora entered into a Servicer Participation Agreement for the HAMP program
with Fannie Mae; the latter acted as Financial Agent of the United States. ( ).
3. Statutory and Regulatory Scheme
Exhibit 1

40.However, Aurora failed and refused to put Mr. Yau immediately into a
modification program until they first defaulted and gave Notice of Sale of Mr. Yau’s
home. Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that defendant Aurora first
caused Notices of Default and Notice of Foreclosure Sale to be served on the Class prior
to placing the Class into a temporary HAMP also.
41.By March 2010, the White House fortified the HAMP program because only
borrowers out of the it was aimed at were placed in a
more affordable home loan.
42.Thereafter, the contract between Aurora and Fannie Mae was amended and
restated on or about September 1, 2010. The Amended and restated contract is attached
hereto and fully incorporated herein as .
43.The United States Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of Currency (hereinafter
the “OCC”) regulates the banking industry such as defendant Deutsche Bank. The OCC
mandated that the largest banks institute HAMP programs.
44.The Office of Thrift Supervision (hereinafter the “OTS”) regulates loan
services such as defendant Aurora.
45.According to the Aurora Loan Services – Issuer Profile dated June 24, 2008 by
Analyst Kathleen Tillwitz, Aurora Loan Services was a wholly owned subsidiary of
Lehman Brothers Bank, FSB, servicing 20,000 to 110,380 (or 21.4% of their loans) in
170,000 3 to 4 million borrowers
Exhibit 2
California. As of February 29, 2008 Aurora serviced 514,831 mortgage loans totaling
$113.2 billion dollars.
46.On 11/19/10 the OCC supplied the following written testimony:
47.HAMP guidelines now preclude the servicer from initiating a foreclosure
action until the borrower has been determined to be ineligible for a HAMP modification.
48.Aurora actions in working with the borrowers on the loans at issue in this
complaint violated and continue to violate these directives.
49.Under the contract, the Servicer of the loan must perform a Net Present Value
(NPV) Test to compare the value of the money that it would receive if the loan were
modified with the value it could expect from foreclosure.
50. If the servicer and owner of the loan can expect a greater return from modifying
the loan, the loan is considered NPV positive and the servicer and owner then
modify the loan. ( )
51. In plaintiff’s case, plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that the
defendants as the servicer and owner of the loan could have expected no more than onethird
of what the plaintiff would have paid under the HAMP loan modification which
would have been anywhere from $934,560.00 to over $1 million dollars.
52.As servicer of the loan, Aurora must modify the loan unless the contractual
agreement it has with the actual holder of the loan prohibits modification. In that case,
must
Exhibit 4
the servicer is required to use reasonable efforts to obtain waivers or approval of a
modification from the owner and/or investor
53.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that Aurora failed to
disclose to Fannie Mae that loans like the Yau’s which appear to nicely fit under the
program’s protected class, were actually the loans that would never become permanently
modified because these loans were backed by CDS and such. Signing up as a servicer of
the HAMP program, was a carrot to lure distressed homeowners into default.
54.The defendants signed up for exemptions with the California Commissioner for
the same reason, motive or to assist in effectuating this plan.
55.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon defendant failed to make
these material disclosures to Fannie Mae and the California Commissioner, so the
defendants could use the guise of being able to offer these “Programs” to maximize their
own profit by luring homeowners into default, dragging out the process and obtaining
more money from the defaulted homeowner than otherwise would likely occur if the
homeowner did not have hope they may qualify for one of the foreclosure alternatives,
such as HAMP.
56. In the Yau’s case, who were initially only behind by $5,000.00, if they had
known and understood the truth to this scheme, they would have had an incentive to find
a short term loan or other capital to cure the late payment prior to default instead of
relying on their lender to place them in a foreclosure alternative program; they most
$3.86 Trillion dollars.
likely would have never entered into the mortgage in the first place; and surely would
have never paid a dime to the defendants after they gave notice of default and
foreclosure.
57.The impact of Aurora’s practice of defaulting before processing a foreclosure
alternative request by a homeowner, then dragging out the process while the homeowner
is making monthly payments and denying blocks of HAMP modifications after obtaining
a temporary modification is nothing more than a financial “Death Spiral” for the
homeowner.
58.At all times herein mentioned, plaintiff and the Class believed that they were
eligible for HAMP.
59.Although the plaintiffs and the Class complied with the terms of the post
default program agreements, Defendants refused to cure the default, offer such a
permanent modification under the program or to take corrective action by providing loan
modifications that produced more sustainable loan payments to plaintiff.
60.The market size for credit default swaps by 2008 in the United States was
estimated to be Dodd- Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
Critics assert that naked CDS should be banned, comparing them to
buying fire insurance on your neighbor’s house, which creates a huge
incentive for arson.1 [emphasis added]
61. In essence the defendants bet against the borrower from the beginning then
used the Federal Government through the federal HAMP program to take even more
money from the defaulting homeowner in this class knowing that they would never grant
this class of homeowners a permanent loan modification or any other type of relief. The
defendants never fully disclosed or adequately explained this to Fannie Mae/Freddie
Mac. The entire program failed to the assist the very class of homeowners it was
intended to protect.
62.On or about February 2, 2011 the Securities and Exchange Commission started
accepting comment on creating an exchange called “Swap Execution Facilities” under
the in order to create
greater transparency with Credit Default Swaps which the SEC refers to as “Security
Based Swaps.”
63.The plaintiffs and the Class in this Complaint are the class of homeowners
these federal and state programs, including the HAMP program were intended to protect.
64.The plaintiffs and the Class were led to believe that they would have the
opportunity to cure their default and be reinstated, but no matter how much they paid the
defendants each month or what they signed, it never happened and they were kept in
constant foreclosure status the entire time while doling out money and their private
financial information to the defendants.
65.Plaintiff alleges defendants intended to, did and still continue to use these
Programs to manipulate more money from the Plaintiffs and the Class.
66.After obtaining the agreements with Fannie Mae and the California
Commissioner, the defendants used the guise of offering these “Programs” to lure
homeowners into default, drag out the process and confuse the homeowners on the type
of alternative temporary program they were placing the homeowner in just to get them to
shell out more money to the defendants after a Notice of Default and Notice of Sale was
filed and served.
67.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that defendant Aurora
knew or had reason to know that defendant Deutsche Bank bought credit default swaps
or other types investment security/insurance that were either worth more than making the
loan modifications permanent prior to default on these blocks of homes when entering to
the contract with Fannie Mae or defendants failed to properly calculate the Net Present
Value (“NPV”) on these loan modifications. But Aurora never disclosed these facts to
Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.
68.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that these CD swaps and
other financial arrangements and the NPV calculations as applied to these asset-backed
loans were material facts and as such Defendants had a duty to disclose these material
facts under the agreement with Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac or comply with the terms with
regard to NPV calculations.
69.Even if such material facts were disclosed to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, these
material facts were never disclosed to the intended beneficiaries of the agreements
between Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac and Aurora, the plaintiffs and the Class.
70. If it is later interpreted that the facts were disclosed to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac
but the defendants were forbidden from using the gains they could expect to receive from
the CDS by defaulting the homeowners, then the plaintiffs allege that the defendants
breached that covenant to the injury of the plaintiffs.
71.As intended beneficiaries of the agreements between Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac
and Aurora, the Plaintiffs and the Class were injured due to the failure to disclose these
material facts and/or comply with the terms of the agreement.
72. The impact of defendants’ practice and/or scheme as more fully described
below was nothing more than a financial “Death Spiral” to the borrower resulting in
making extortion like payments after giving a complete disclosure of their remaining
financial assets, and allowing their credit to be decimated or face foreclosure sale.
73.And even if these borrowers had the ability to reinstate their loans, under this
scheme the proceeds the defendants received on default would not be applied to the loan
but become a windfall to the defendants, still leaving the homeowner’s credit and
financial health badly battered, making the entire scheme outrageous, despicable and
deserving of punitive or exemplary damages.
74.The plaintiffs each received a written agreement such as a temporary HAMP
agreement after default appearing to give the plaintiffs an opportunity to save their home
if they made the requested payments.
75.Plaintiffs and those similarly situated made all payments, however the
defendants did not cure the default, reinstate the loan or permanently modify the loan.
76.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that at all times
mentioned in this complaint, the defendants knew California was not a deficiency
judgment state and understood their actions of collecting payment after default without
cure or reinstatement was unlawful.
77.Yet, the defendants collected money from the plaintiffs before satisfying the
debt with the security.
78.Mr. Burke has paid the defendants approximately $20,279.00 since the Notice
of Default dated 9/16/08 originally for $6,312.74.
79.Plaintiff, Mr. Apostolos has paid $27,928.00 after his Notice of Default dated
6/7/10 in the amount of $33,014.53 and turned over approximately $7,000.00 payments
to his attorney to be held in trust for payments on his home.
4. General Factual Allegations
80.Plaintiff Ms. Brown has paid the defendants approximately $24,728.00 after
her Notice of Default dated 2/14/09 in the amount of $5,899.60 and also placed
additional payments in trust with her attorney and/or deposited with the court.
81.Plaintiff Mr. Salem Benshir and Kimberly Christensen has paid the defendants
approximately $51,991.25 after their Notice of Default dated 11/16/08 in the amount of
$10,495.23.
82.Plaintiff Regan Owens and Jennifer Owens paid the defendants approximately
$38,059.00 after their Notice of Default dated 3/10/09 in the amount of $27,371.99.
83.Plaintiff Ms. Chen Pi has paid the defendants approximately $24,728.00 after
her Notice of Default dated 2/14/09 in the amount of $5,899.60 and also placed
additional payments in trust with her attorney and/or deposited with the court.
84.Plaintiff Ms. Alice Mbaabu has paid the defendants approximately $24,728.00
after her Notice of Default dated 2/14/09 in the amount of $5,899.60 and also placed
additional payments in trust with her attorney and/or deposited with the court.
85.Plaintiff Ms. Carmen Arballo has paid the defendants approximately
$24,728.00 after her Notice of Default dated 2/14/09 in the amount of $5,899.60 and also
placed additional payments in trust with her attorney and/or deposited with the court.
86.Plaintiff Mr. Anthony Johnson has paid the defendants approximately
$24,728.00 after her Notice of Default dated 2/14/09 in the amount of $5,899.60 and also
placed additional payments in trust with her attorney and/or deposited with the court.
87.Plaintiff Mr. Otis Banks has paid the defendants approximately $24,728.00
after her Notice of Default dated 2/14/09 in the amount of $5,899.60 and also placed
additional payments in trust with her attorney and/or deposited with the court.
88. In fact, each of the named plaintiffs and those similarly situated have entered
into agreements with the defendants after default and tendered payments as requested.
89. In 2009, 632,573 California properties had some type of foreclosure filed on its
property record.2
90.According to a California Consumer Banking article dated December 13, 2010,
the outlook for 2011 is worse.
91.The number of foreclosures is expected to increase in 2011 as more mortgage
defaults work their way through the pipeline. Rick Sharga, a senior vice president for
RealtyTrac, said there were approximately 1.2 million bank repossessions in 2010,
900,000 in 2009, and “We expect we will top both of those numbers in 2011,” he said.3
92.Quality Loan Service Corporation, agent of defendant Aurora Loan Services,
LLC recorded over foreclosure type filings in in 2010
alone.
93.Recently, the Attorney General of Arizona was quoted by Business Week as
stating
What I’m most angry about is the simultaneous modifications and
foreclosures… We need to look for a stipulated judgment in all 50 states,
that if someone is in modification, they can’t be foreclosed.
(www.businessweek.com/news/2010-10-28/arizona-seeks-changes-tobanks-
home-loan-modification-process.html).
94.The plaintiffs and the Class were led to believe that they would have an
opportunity to cure their default, receive a modification and have their loan reinstated,
but no matter how much they paid the defendants each month or what they signed, it
never happened. Attached hereto and fully incorporated herein as is a true and
correct copy of the Yaus’ Temporary HAMP Agreement.
95.Some plaintiffs signed temporary modification agreements, others were
actually placed in limited modification Special Forbearance agreements, and some were
placed in both after notice of default.
96. Defendant Aurora contracted with Fannie Mae to provide foreclosure
prevention services intending to benefit homeowners with affordable loan modifications.
In return Aurora would be compensated over in taxpayer funds as
incentive to do so. Attached hereto and fully incorporated herein as is a true
and correct copy of the original Agreement between Aurora and Fannie Mae.
Exhibit 3
$2.873 Billion dollars
Exhibit 1
97.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that Aurora Loan
Services made and/or is making more money on defaults and/or foreclosures than on the
loan modifications and knew it would do so when entering into the contract with Fannie
Mae.
98.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that defendant Aurora
knew or had reason to know that defendant Deutsche Bank bought credit default swaps
or other types investment security/insurance that were either worth more than making the
loan modifications permanent prior to default on these blocks of homes when entering to
the contract with Fannie Mae or they failed to report the way they were calculating NPV
under the agreement. But Aurora never disclosed these facts to Fannie Mae.
99.Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that these CDS and other
financial arrangements were material facts and as such Defendants had a duty to disclose
these material facts under the agreement or the NPV calculations violated the terms of
the agreement with Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Attached hereto and fully incorporated
herein as is a true and correct copy of the March 4, 2009 Home Affordable
Modification Program Guidelines including the NPV calculations.
100. But defendants never disclosed or adequately explained these material facts.
101. Assistant Treasury Secretary Herbert M. Allison admitted that modifying
mortgages has been more difficult than administration officials had anticipated.”
Exhibit 4
FIRST AMENDED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
Yau v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Americas

“Certainly we’ve seen a lot of frustration with this program since its
inception,” he told lawmakers. “We did not fully envision the
challenges we would encounter.” (http://rismedia.com/2010-03-
28/white-house-to-adjust-troubled-mortgage-modification-program/)
102. Section 5 of the Servicer agreement between Aurora and Fannie Mae
contains the representations, warranties and covenants which state in part:
(b) Servicer is in compliance with, and covenants that all
Services will be performed in compliance with all applicable
Federal, state and local law, regulations, regulatory guidance,
statutes, ordinances, codes and requirements, including, but not
limited to, the Truth in Lending Act, 15 USC 1601 et seq., the
home Ownership and Equity Protection Act, 15 USC 1639, the
Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 USC 41 et seq., the Equal
Credit Opportunity Act, 15 USC 701 et seq., the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., the fair Housing Act and
other Federal and state laws designed to prevent unfair,
discriminatory or predatory lending practices and all applicable
laws governing tenant rights…Servicer is not aware of any
other legal or financial impediments to performing its
obligations under the Program in which Servicer participates or
the Agreement and shall promptly notify Fannie Mae of any
financial and/or operational impediments which may impair its
ability to perform its obligations under such Programs or the
Agreement…
(c) Servicer covenants that:…all data …that is relied upon by
Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in calculating the Purchase Price or
in performing any compliance review will be true, complete and
accurate in all material respects, and consistent with all relevant
business records, as and when provided.
(d) Servicer covenants that it will(i) perform the Services
required under the Program Documentation and the Agreement
in accordance with the practices, high professional standards of
care, and degree of attention used in a well-managed
operation…

(f) Servicer acknowledges that the provision of false or
misleading information to Fannie Mae or Freddie mac in
connection with any of the Programs or pursuant to the
Agreement may constitute a violation of: (a) Federal criminal
law involving fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, or gratuity
violations found in Title 18 of the United States Code; or (b) the
civil False Claims Act (31 USC § 3729-3733). Servicer
covenants to disclose to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac any
credible evidence, in connection with the Servicers, that a
management official, employee, or contractor of Servicer has
committed, or may have committed, a violation of the
referenced statutes.
(g) Servicer covenants to disclose to Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac any other facts or information that the Treasury, Fannie
Mae or Freddie Mac should reasonably expect to know about
Servicer and its contractors to help protect the reputational
interests of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in
managing and monitoring the Programs in which Servicer
participates.” ( page A-2 to A-4 ; Exhibit 2 page B-3
to B-4)
103. Plaintiff alleges that defendants breached these covenents.
104. Defendants used the offering of the federal HAMP Program as an incentive
to get the homeowners to default on their loans which would trigger payment on the CDS
without any care about placing the homeowners at risk of a foreclosure sale and then
have the homeowners like the plaintiffs in this case continue to make monthly payments
on them while in default facing a foreclosure sale all to the defendants’ financial benefit.
105. On July 7, 2007 plaintiff Eddie Yau borrowed $608,000.00 from
Homecomings Financial, LLC on a 30 year negative adjustable rate note to purchase his
Exhibit 1
8. Factual Allegations of the Yaus Repesenting the HAMP Subclass
home where he lives with his wife. His payments were supposed to be fixed at $2,402.34
per month for the first five years of the loan.
106. Mr. Yau, a retired military veteran and mechanic, has no mortgage or home
lending financial experience beyond basic financial matters.
107. Plaintiff, as trustor, executed and delivered a deed of trust, conveying the
real property described herein to secure payment of the principal sum and interest as
provided in the note and as part of the same transaction to Homecomings Financial, LLC
which was then later assigned, sold or transferred by the lender to either DBNT or
DBTCA as beneficiary and serviced by defendant Aurora.
108. Mr. Yau missed his July 2008 payment and telephoned defendant Aurora
Loan Services and explained he was experiencing financial difficulties due to a decrease
in his income and inquired as to alternatives to foreclosure.
109. On or about September 24, 2008 defendant Aurora Loan Services sent a
letter explaining the following programs it offered and that by entering into the programs
the borrower “will avoid the loss of your home through foreclosure or further impairment
on your credit.”
“Repayment Plan: If you recently experienced a temporary reduction
in income or an increase in living expenses, a repayment plan will
allow you to repay the past due amount over a specified period of
time.
Forbearance Plan: You may be able to suspend or reduce your
mortgage payments for a short period of time. Thereafter, we would
review your current financial situation and determine what home
retention option would best assist you in bringing your loan current.
Loan Modification: A loan modification may offer you the ability to
change on or more of the terms of your mortgage. This may assist
you with providing an affordable payment and avoiding foreclosure.
Again, we would need to review your financial situation and ability to
pay. If your loan is current and you anticipate that you may have
difficulty in making the increased monthly payment, we may be able
to assist you with a loan modification that will provide you with an
affordable payment based on your current financial information.
110. Then on December 02, 2008 defendant Aurora Loan Services wrote Mr.
Yau which stated:
“Based upon the information that you provided during your telephone
conversation with Aurora, your loan may qualify for a loan
modification….You must provide documentation to support your
inability to reinstate the mortgage loan in one lump sum…under some
circumstances,
111. Then on December 19, 2008 Aurora Loan Services sent Mr. Yau a letter
noting Mr. Yau’s was in default in the amount of $4,828.68 and that
“If you do not bring your loan current within thirty (30) days of the
date of this letter, Aurora Loan Services may demand the entire
balance outstanding under the terms of your Mortgage/Deed of Trust.”
112. Aurora then followed up with the same letter of September 24, 2008 again
on December 24, 2008 and January 20, 2009.
113. Instead of sending Mr. Yau a loan modification plan, defendant Aurora
Loan Services sent him a Repayment Agreement expecting him to pay an additional
$802.78 per month ($3,207.12 per month for 6 months) which equaled a 33% increase in
you may be expected to pay a loan modification fee.”
[Emphasis added]
his monthly mortgage payment. This payment plan did not create a “more sustainable
payment plan.”
114. In 2009 the Yau’s financial situation became worse as their investments
were depleted from what was later characterized as a “Ponzi scheme.”
115. From that time up to June 2009, plaintiff would telephone defendant Aurora
seeking a modification and Aurora would take down information representing the
defendants would start the process, but the process was never started.
116. Mrs. Yau spoke to a person at Aurora Loan Services named Steve who
promised that someone from Aurora Loan Services would call them back no later than
June 1st about the Making Home Affordable Loan Program.
117. On June 16, 2009 defendant caused to be served and recorded a purported
Notice of Default and Election to Sell under Deed of Trust (NOD) alleging (a) that a
breach of the obligation secured by the deed of trust had occurred, consisting of Mr.
Yau’s failure to pay $12,655.67 as of 6/15/09, and (b) that the defendant, as beneficiary,
elected to sell, or to cause to be sold, the property to satisfy that obligation.4
4 However, that Notice of Default was outside the chain of title because Lawyers Title Company, as
the original trustee and Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as the nominee did not
assign this right until June 24, 2009. Attached hereto and fully incorporated herein as is a
true and correct copy of the Assignment to Quality Loan Service which was not notarized until
6/24/09.
Exhibit 8

118. A few months later defendant Aurora Loan Services faxed a “customized
Home Affordable Modification Trial Period Plan (“Trial Period Plan”)” under HAMP
wherein Mr. Yau was supposed to make payments of $1,943.70 on 10/01/09, 11/01/09,
and 12/01/09.
119. The temporary HAMP agreement which is incorporated herein stated in part
“If I comply with the requirements in Section 2 and my
representations in Section 1 continue to be true in all material
respects, the Lender will send me a Modification Agreement for my
signature which will modify my Loan Documents as necessary to
reflect this new payment amount and waive any unpaid late charges
accrued to date.”
120. Aurora promised:
“If you qualify under the federal government’s Home Affordable
Modification program and comply with the terms of the Trial Period
Plan, we will modify your mortgage loan and you can avoid
foreclosure.”
121. These terms are boilerplate in all such agreements received by the coplaintiffs
and the class.
122. Mr. Yau believed he was eligible for HAMP and made the payments as laid
out in the agreement under Section 2, provided the necessary documents and his
representations in Section 1 continued to be true in all material respects, yet defendant
Aurora Loan Services failed and refused to send the Modification Agreement for him to
sign, or to cure the default and reinstate the loan.
123. On or about March 6, 2010 defendant Aurora Loan Services sent a letter to
Mr. Yau explaining,
“Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a Home Affordable
Modification for the following reasons: Excessive Forbearance. We
are unable to offer you a Home Affordable Modification because we
are unable to create an affordable payment equal to 31% of your
reported monthly gross income without changing the terms loan
beyond the requirements of the program.”
124. Defendant’s representation in that letter was false. According to Aurora
Loan Service’s Customer Account Activity Statement the principal balance on the loan
was at $643,178.83 when he entered the temporary payment plan.
125. The contract required Aurora to place the Yaus into a permanent
modification if the NPV was greater under modification than a foreclosure sale. Plaintiffs
allege the defendants breached by failing to place them in the permanent modification.
126. Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that Plaintiff’s home
at foreclosure would not have resulted in a sale in excess of the NPV of the modification.
127. Plaintiff through counsel, demanded defendant’s calculations used to deny
plaintiff’s modification and NPV. To date, defendant failed to provide plaintiff with a
HAMP-compliant modification or any documentation showing its calculations to justify
why a permanent modification was not offered to Plaintiff.
128. Mr. Yau’s loan accelerated from $643,178.83 to $649,482.15 during the
interim.
129. Along with the notice that Mr. Yau did not qualify for the loan modification,
defendant Aurora stated that Mr. Yau may qualify for other foreclosure alternatives such
as “Repayment Plan: allows you to repay the past due amount over a
specified period of time.
Forbearance Plan: allows you to suspend or reduce your mortgage
payments for a short period of time until a long term solution is
available.
Loan Modification: allows us to modify one or more of your original
mortgage terms which will provide you with an affordable payment
based on your current financial information.
Pre-foreclosure Sale (short sale): allows you to sell your property,
pay off your mortgage for an amount less than total pay off to avoid
foreclosure and minimize damage to your credit rating.
Deed in lieu of foreclosure: allows you to voluntarily deed your
property to Aurora Loan Services to payoff your mortgage. Taking
this action may not save your home, but it may help your ability to
qualify for another mortgage in the future.”
130. The Yaus telephoned Aurora and were assured that the defendants would
work with the Yaus and that they could cure their default by having the lender
temporarily forebear the terms of the agreement so that the Yaus could catch up.
131. Consequently, Mr. Yau continued making monthly payments on his home
and entered into a Special Forbearance Plan with defendant Aurora when they sent him
the application to sign.
132. On or about April 7. 2010 Defendant Aurora sent Plaintiffs a letter stating it
had enclosed a “Special Forbearance Agreement which has been prepared on your
behalf.” On page 2 of the agreement it stated “WHEREAS, customer has requested and
Lender has agreed to allow Customer to repay the Arrearage pursuant to a loan work-out
arrangement on the terms set forth herein.”
133. However, there was no real consideration and the agreement was illusory
because the Lender had been given the right to proceed with a foreclosure sale during the
term of the agreement at its discretion and the terms never gave the Yaus an opportunity
to repay the arrearage.
134. The Plan was not the same as advertised in its prior letters to Mr. Yau or as
represented on the telephone. The forbearance Plan did not allow Mr. Yau to suspend or
reduce his mortgage payments for a short period of time until a long term solution was
available.
135. Mr. Yau made the required $4,804.72 initial payment and monthly
payments of $2,875.00 but he was only getting further in debt.
136. The true facts were that his payments were increased to $2,875.00 per
month and no other terms of his loan were modified or suspended during the forbearance
period. He was still in default and the foreclosure sales were still pending.
137. Furthermore, the terms of the Agreement violated California law.
138. Mr.Yau continued to make the $2,875.00 monthly payments until this action
was filed.
139. Instead of putting Mr. Yau into a temporary modification, they delayed
processing, requesting the same documents they already had over and over again.
140. As a result of defendants’ unlawful practices, unfair acts and failure to place
Mr. Yau into a permanent HAMP loan modification on December 1, 2009, his loan as of
October 10, 2010 approached the HAMP cap.
Total Unpaid principal $664,711.59
Interest from 12/1/09 to 10/10/10 47,916.49
Escrow/Impound Overdraft 12,983.09
Corporate advance 3,652.84
Unpaid Late Charges 120.12
Recording Fee 37.00
Suspense Balance -2,345.75
Total: $727,075.38
141. On November 5, 2010 defendant Aurora sent notice that it intended on
increasing Mr. Yau’s monthly loan payment to $5,466.57 on 3/01/11.
142. Defendant then notified Mr. Yau it intended to sell his home on 12/13/10.
143. From September 2008 when Mr. Yau was behind by approximately
$5,000.00 through present plaintiff has paid defendants approximately $54,293.08. This
is very close to the amount he would have paid the defendants if he had never defaulted
on the loan in the first place ($2402.34*24 months = $57,656.16).
144. Plaintiff further alleges the defendants were deceptive and unlawful in their
handling of the loans and business practices. Examples in the Yaus’ case, include but are
not limited to the fact that defendant has not rescinded the Notice of Default or Notice of
foreclosure sale although the Notice was filed before Quality Loan Services received
assignment and as such is outside the chain of title. Failing to send the plaintiffs a loan
modification application until after they filed a Notice of Default. Additionally, flood
hazard insurance was not required on the Yaus loan but the defendants charged Mr. Yau
$1592.00 for flood hazard insurance after the loan went into default in addition to other
fees and charges for allegedly driving by the home and such. Also, Defendant obtained
an exemption to allow defendant Aurora to offer modifications and other programs in
excess of 38% of the borrower’s income from the California Commissioner but
defendant never notified plaintiff of that fact as required under California law and never
took the foreclosure off of the home when it was notified of this failure to notify.
Defendants failed and refused to request partition even after being notified only Mr. Yau
was on the Note and Mrs. Yau at most was a trustee and was given no consideration for
her name to be placed on their filed recordings as a “co-borrower” for non-judicial
foreclosure purposes.
5. Factual Allegations of Mr. Edman representing the Forebearance Class
145. Mr. Edman obtained a loan to build a home on his land in Malibu,
California.
146. On or about 12/07/06, for valuable consideration, plaintiff, as borrower
made, executed and delivered to his original lender a written promissory note in the
amount of $850,000.00, a true and correct copy of which is attached as and
incorporated by reference herein.
147. According to the terms of the Note, Mr. Edman was required to pay
$3,141.77 per month for the first five (5) years.
148. Plaintiff, as trustor, executed and delivered a deed of trust, conveying the
real property described herein to secure payment of the principal sum and interest as
provided in the note and as part of the same transaction which was then transferred to
defendant, as beneficiary.
149. Said deed of trust was recorded against the subject property in the Official
Records in Los Angeles County, California, a true and correct copy of which is attached
as and incorporated by reference herein.
150. On or about 1/14/09, defendant caused to be recorded a notice of default
and election to sell in the Official Records in Los Angeles, County, California alleging
(a) that a breach of the obligation secured by the deed of trust had occurred, consisting
of plaintiff’s alleged failure to pay $14,267.35 as of 1/13/09, and (b) that the defendant,
as beneficiary, elected to sell, or to cause to be sold, the trust property to satisfy that
Exhibit 10
Exhibit B

obligation, a true and correct copy of which is attached as and incorporated
by reference herein.
151. A week later on or about 1/23/09, defendants delivered a document to Mr.
Edman which represented a “Special Forbearance Agreement [] has been prepared on
your behalf.”
“WHEREAS, customer has requested and Lender has agreed to allow Customer to
repay the Arrearage pursuant to a loan work-out arrangement on the terms set forth
herein…NOW, THEREFORE…Lender shall forbear from exercising any or all of its
rights and remedies..” [pg 2]
“The amount of each Plan payment specified above includes both (1) the regularly
scheduled monthly payment, plus (2) the portion of the Arrearage specified above…
in the event Customer cures the Arrearage by making all Plan payments on or before
the Expiration Date, and is current with the payments then due, and no default then
exists under the Loan Documents and Agreement, Lender shall consider the Note
and Security Instrument to be current and in effect according to their original terms
and conditions.” Attached hereto and fully incorporated herein as is a
true and correct copy of the Special Forbearance Agreement entered into postdefault.
152. Consequently, Mr. Edman made the monthly payments on his home and
entered into a Special Forbearance Plan with defendant Aurora.
Exhibit 11
Exhibit 12

concert therewith after default, but whose default was not cured and loan was not
reinstated by defendants after plaintiff tendered the requested payments.
California homeowners who were denied permanent HAMP loan
agreements after entering in a temporary HAMP agreement with
defendant Aurora whose loans are held by DBNT as Custodian, and
making their payments as requested under the temporary HAMP
agreement.
California homeowners who were denied permanent HAMP loan
agreements after entering in a temporary limited modification Special
Forbearance agreement with defendant Aurora whose loans are held
by DBNT as Custodian, and making their payments as requested
under the temporary HAMP agreement.
159. Excluded from the Class are governmental entities, defendants, and their
affiliates, subsidiaries, current or former employees, officers, directors, agents,
representatives, their family members, the members of this Court and its staff.
160. Defendants subjected plaintiffs and each of their respective Classes to the
same unfair, unlawful and deceptive practices and harmed them in the same manner.
Now plaintiffs and each of their respective Classes seek to enforce the same rights and
remedies under the same substantive law.
161. Plaintiffs do not know the exact size or identities of the members of the
proposed class, since such information is in the exclusive control of the Defendants.
Plaintiffs believe that the Class encompasses over 41 individuals California homeowners
HAMP Subclass:
Forbearance Subclass:

which could reach into the thousands whose identities can be readily ascertained from
Defendant’s books and records. Defendants filed over 4,000 foreclosure documents with
the Orange County Recorder’s office in 2010 alone. Therefore, the proposed Class are so
numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable.
162. Based on the market value of these homes in foreclosure and the size of the
payments made by the Class members under the temporary HAMP agreements and
thereafter, plaintiffs believe the amount in controversy could range anywhere from
$1,250,000 for the first 25 members to over $2 billion dollars for the entire anticipated
class.
163. All members of the Class have been subject to and affected by the same
conduct. The claims are based on wrongfully forcing the Class into default before
implementing a written foreclosure alternative program then wrongfully failing to cure
the default, reinstate the loan or permanently modifying the loan under HAMP and other
government programs after the Class made the payments as requested.
164. There are questions of law and fact that are common to the Class, and
predominate over any questions affecting only individual members of the Class. These
questions include, but are not limited to the following:
a. The validity of the contracts at issue in this case (
(5th Cir 1985) 759 F2d 466, 471);
See, Black Gold Marine,
Inc. v Jackson Marine Co.
b. The nature, scope and operation of defendants’ obligations to the borrowers
under the Servicer Participation Agreements entered into between Aurora
and Fannie Mae ( . (2nd Cir
1986) 799 F.2d 851, 856);
c. Whether the defendants must now be reclassified as unsecured creditors.
d. Whether the plaintiffs have cured their defaults and are entitled to
reconveyance upon payments of subsequent sums due and owing, if any.
e. Whether plaintiffs are entitled to reconveyance of their deeds.
f. The defendants’ obligations to the borrowers when the borrower holds a
CDS or some similar type of security/insurance against default on the
borrower’s loan;
g. Whether the existence of a CDS or similar type of security/insurance to a
borrower should be disclosed at the time the borrower signs the promissory
note and mortgage or as soon as the lender obtains a CDS contract that
could cover the loan.
h. Whether the failure to disclose the existence of a CDS or similar type of
security/insurance to a borrower before default is a breach of good faith and
fair dealing;
See, Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. v Fleer Corp
i. The Class’ right to terminate and rescind the contracts at issue in this action
( . (2nd
Cir. 1994) 17 F3d 38, 39-40).
j. The nature, scope and operation of defendants’ obligations to the borrowers
under the temporary HAMP agreements;
k. Whether the temporary HAMP agreements created any legally binding
obligation on the defendants;
l. Whether the agreements entered into by the borrowers after they were
denied a permanent HAMP agreement were void ab initio for failure or
partial failure of consideration;
m. Whether the agreements entered into by the borrowers after they were
denied a permanent HAMP agreement were illusory;
n. Whether the promissory note and mortgage agreements entered into by the
borrowers after the owner purchased a CDS or similar security/insurance
were void ab initio for failure to disclose this adverse interest or partial
failure of consideration;
o. Whether defendants actions failed to take corrective action by providing
loan modifications that produced more sustainable loan payments;
p. Whether the plaintiffs and the Class (“borrowers’”) payments after the
Notice of Default were the result of fraud of duress;
See, Leisure Time Productions, B.V. v Columbia Pictures Indus. Inc

q. Whether Aurora violated California law by using false, deceptive, and
misleading statements and omission in connection their collection of
Plaintiffs’ and the Class’s mortgage debt;
r. Whether defendants actions or failure to act constituted a breach of their
obligation of good faith and fair dealing;
s. Whether contracts implied in fact were created when Aurora required the
borrowers to continue to make payments after the temporary HAMP
agreement expired;
t. Whether Aurora was required to rescind or otherwise nullify the pending
foreclosure proceedings for all borrowers who were still being considered
for a HAMP modification after the OCC stated “HAMP guidelines now
preclude a servicer from initiating a foreclosure action until the borrower
has been deemed ineligible for a HAMP modification.”
u. Whether the disclosure of the credit default swaps or other types of
investment security/insurance were “material” under federal law;
v. Whether the plaintiff and the Class members are intended beneficiaries of
the agreement between defendant Aurora and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac;
w. Whether defendant Aurora breached its agreement with Fannie Mae/Freddie
Mac;
x. Whether defendant Aurora failed to disclose a material fact to Fannie
Mae/Freddie Mac as required under its contract with them to the detriment
of its intended beneficiaries;
y. Whether defendants conduct as described in this Complaint constituted
fraud or duress;
z. Whether defendants were unjustly enriched;
aa.Whether defendants acts and practices described herein constitute unfair or
deceptive business practices under California Unfair Competition Law
(“UCL”)
bb.Whether injunctive relief is appropriate
cc.Whether specific performance is appropriate
dd.Whether punitive or exemplary damages are appropriate
165. The claims of the individual named Plaintiffs are typical of the claims of the
Class and do not conflict with the interests of any other members of the Class in that both
the Plaintiffs and the other members of the Class’ loans were all securitized in vehicles
that had default and other types of swaps placed on them, they were subjected to the
same conduct, the same terms, and tendered payments to the defendants after being
served with a Notice of Default pursuant to a post default foreclosure alternative
program.
166. The individually named Plaintiffs will fairly and adequately protect the
interests of the Class. They are committed to the vigorous prosecution of the Class’
claims and have retained attorneys who are qualified to pursue this litigation.
167. A class action is superior to other methods for the fast and efficient
adjudication of this controversy. A class action regarding the issues in this case does not
create any problems of manageability.
168. The putative class action meets the requirements of Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure 23(b)(2) and 23(b)(3).
169. The nature of notice to the proposed class required and/or contemplated is
the best practicable method possible and contemplated the defendant’s list when
disclosed would most likely be mailing to the property addresses affected by the filed
foreclosures and internet and other general notices are contemplated to ensure notice.
170. Defendants have acted or refused to act on grounds that apply generally to
the Class so that final injunctive relief or corresponding declaratory relief is appropriate
respecting the Class as a whole.
7. Claims for Relief
FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
Breach of Contract/Unjust Enrichment
(All Plaintiffs and Classes against All Defendants)
171. Plaintiff incorporates the allegations in paragraphs 1 through 170 in this
cause of action as though fully set forth herein.
172. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
173. Defendant represented to plaintiff that by entering into the Special
Forbearance Agreement, the temporary HAMP agreement, or other written post-default
agreement, plaintiff would be able to save his home in that defendant would not sell
plaintiff’s home, and plaintiff would be able to either cure their default or receive a
permanent loan modification.
174. In reliance on defendants’ representations, plaintiff paid the defendants
after Notice of Default was served and recorded.
175. All of the terms in the forbearance agreements, temporary HAMP
agreements or other post-default agreements were drafted by the defendant, and not
negotiable.
176. Plaintiff had no bargaining power in negotiating the terms of these
agreements or the amounts of payments requested.
177. Defendants took the money then elected to sell the property through
foreclosure.
178. Plaintiff alleges said conduct constituted a breach of good faith and fair
dealing, was unconscionable, unjust and/or coercive.

179. As a result of defendant’s conduct, plaintiff was damaged financially.
180. Plaintiff seeks damages according to proof and reserves the right to seek
equitable remedies of unjust enrichment and disgorgement of profit made on the
Plaintiff under guise of performance of this agreement.
181. Plaintiff incorporates in this cause of action all of the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 180 as though set forth in full herein.
182. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and the Subclass described above.
183. Defendant Aurora and the Plaintiffs and Class entered into a Temporary
HAMP agreement as alleged above, a true and correct copy of the Mr. Yau’s agreement
is attached hereto and fully incorporated herein as
184. Defendant Aurora agreed to permanently modify plaintiff and each
members of the Class’s loan if plaintiffs and the Class complied with the terms of the
temporary modification.
SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
Unjust Enrichment/Breach of Temporary HAMP Agreement
(Plaintiffs, Eddie Yau, Gloria Yau, Rob Rhoades, Nicole Rhoades, Steve Burke,
Otis Banks, Richard Apostolos, Joanne Anderson and the HAMP Class against
all Defendants)
Exhibit 3.

185. Plaintiff and the Class complied with the terms of the temporary
modification, except for those terms and conditions that were excused or waived.
186. Defendant unjustifiably and inexcusably breached the contract by failing to
perform its obligations thereunder as described above.
187. As a result of defendant’s breach, plaintiff’s loan was not permanently
modified causing injury to the plaintiff and Class.
188. As a result of Defendants’ unjust enrichment, Plaintiffs and the Class have
sustained damages in an amount to be determined at trial (which include legal and other
fees in excess of the principal and interest due on their loans) and seek full
disgorgement and restitution of Defendants’ enrichments, benefits, and ill-gotten gains
acquired as a result of the wrongful conduct alleged above. Alternatively, Plaintiffs and
the Class seek specific performance or if specific performance cannot be granted,
reformation of the contract from temporary to permanent under the same monthly
payment terms for a term of 30 years or if reformation of the contract cannot be granted,
damages according to proof and reserve the right to seek equitable remedies to rescind
the payments made to defendants under guise of performance of this contract and
disgorgement of profits made on the Plaintiffs and the Class loans above reasonable
rental value of their homes from the time the loans originated.
THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION
Breach of Written Contracts – Third Party Beneficiary
(All Plaintiffs and Classes against all Defendants)
Exhibit 1
Exhibit 2
189. Plaintiffs repeat and re-allege every allegation in paragraphs 1 through 188
as though set forth in full herein.
190. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
191. Plaintiffs and the Class members are third party beneficiaries to the
contract attached hereto and fully incorporated herein as and to the Amended
and Restated contract attached hereto and fully incorporated herein as .
192. Plaintiff and the Class are intended beneficiaries under the contracts.
193. Defendants Aurora and DBTCA and DBNTC, jointly and severally,
unjustifiably and inexcusably breached the Contract by failing to perform their
obligations thereunder as described above.
194. Defendants’ breach of the contract resulted in harm to plaintiff.
195. Pursuant to California Civil Code §1559 and/or federal law, plaintiff may
enforce the contract’s provisions.
196. Plaintiffs and the Class seek specific performance or if specific
performance cannot be granted, reformation of the contract from temporary to
permanent under the same monthly payment terms for a term of 30 years or if
reformation of the contract cannot be granted, damages according to proof and reserve
the right to seek equitable remedies to rescind the payments made to defendants under
phs 1 through 196 as though fully set forth herein.
198. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
199. An actual controversy exists between plaintiff and defendant concerning
their respective rights and duties pertaining to the subject property and described
transactions because plaintiff alleges there was a cure and reinstatement by mutual
consent.
200. As a result, plaintiff desires a judicial determination and declaration that
the default was cured, plaintiff is entitled to reconveyance upon payment of subsequent
sums and the defendant has no ability to foreclose on plaintiff’s home.
201. Such a declaration is appropriate at this time so that plaintiff may
determine his or her rights and duties before the subject property is sold at a foreclosure
sale.
FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Declaratory Relief – Cure and Reinstatement by Mutual Consent
(All plaintiffs and classes against all defendants)
FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Declaratory Relief – One Action Rule
(All plaintiffs and classes against all defendants)
202. Plaintiff incorporated in this cause of action all of the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 201 and the allegations in the Second cause of action as though
fully set forth herein.
203. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
204. An actual controversy exists between plaintiff and defendant concerning
their respective rights and duties pertaining to the subject property and described
transactions because plaintiff alleges the defendant violated the One Action Rule so
defendant is reduced to the status of unsecured creditor, entitling plaintiff to injunctive
relief, attorney fees and costs of suit.
205. As a result, plaintiff desires a judicial determination and declaration the
defendants are reduced to the status of unsecured creditor(s), the defendants have no
ability to foreclose on plaintiff’s home as unsecured creditors, and plaintiff is entitled to
reasonable attorney’s fees and costs of suit.
206. Such a declaration is appropriate at this time so that plaintiff may
determine his or her rights and duties before the subject property is sold at a foreclosure
sale.
SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Declaratory Relief
Improper Application and/or Calculation of Payments, Fees and Costs
(All plaintiffs and classes against all defendants)
207. Plaintiff incorporates in this cause of action all of the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 206 as though fully set forth herein.
208. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
209. An actual controversy exists between plaintiff and defendant concerning
their respective rights and duties pertaining to the subject property and described
transactions because plaintiff alleges a breach of the obligation for which the deed of
trust is security has not occurred or is excused because the beneficiary improperly
applied and/or calculated plaintiff’s payments, costs, fees, insurance, taxes and other
charges prior to, during, and/or after default.
210. As a result, plaintiff desires a judicial determination and declaration of
plaintiff’s and defendant’s respective rights and duties; specifically that plaintiff did not
breach his or her obligations and as such the Notice of default and election to sell was
null and void.
211. Such a declaration is appropriate at this time so that plaintiff may
determine his or her rights and duties before the subject property is sold at a foreclosure
sale.
212. Plaintiff incorporates by reference the allegations in paragraphs 1 through
211 as though fully set out herein.
213. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
214. Consent to the special forbearance was not real or free in that it was
obtained solely through fraud and misrepresentations as herein alleged.
215. Plaintiffs thus seek to rescind the agreements under California Civil Code
section 1689(b)(1). Plaintiffs have retained no consideration provided by defendants
Aurora or Deutsche Bank that can be tendered back to Aurora or Deutsche Bank prior to
rescission.
216. Aurora led plaintiff to believe that it wanted to help Plaintiff maintain
ownership of their homes.
217. Aurora represented it wanted to help Plaintiff maintain ownership of his
home through the language of the special forbearance agreement which states
SEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION
(Fraud/Misrepresentation of Material Fact)
[By all plaintiffs and classes against all defendants)
“WHEREAS, Customer has requested and Lender has agreed to allow Customer to
repay the Arrearage pursuant to a loan work-out arrangement on the terms set forth
herein.” Aurora led Plaintiff to believe that their arrearage in payments that led to
default would be repaid if they made the payments under the special forbearance
agreement.
218. Plaintiff reasonably relied on defendant’s representations which led
Plaintiff to believe that the default on his home would be cured and his loan would
eventually be reinstated under the agreement.
219. At the time that Aurora made these representations, Aurora know or should
have known that they were not true.
220. Plaintiff is informed and believes and alleges thereon that Aurora would
ensure that the requested payments were never enough to repay the arrearage due to the
way the payments were applied.
221. Plaintiff is informed and believes and further alleges thereon that the notice
of default was on file before the special forbearance was offered so that Aurora could
execute the Trustee’s sale and foreclose after obtaining the payments knowing that the
arrearage would not be repaid.
222. Aurora made these representations with the purpose of persuading Plaintiff
to enter into the Special Forbearance agreements and to continue to make payments of
thousands of dollars.
223. Plaintiff reasonably relied on these representations.
224. Plaintiff would not have entered into the special forbearance agreement and
paid thousands of dollars to defendants Aurora and Deutsch Bank after default had he
known that he would not have had a genuine opportunity to save his home.
225. As a proximate result of defendant’s conduct plaintiff has been financially
injured in an amount to be proven at trial and his credit has been damaged.
226. Plaintiff incorporates in this cause of action all of the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 225 as though fully set forth herein.
227. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
228. Defendants beneficiary and trustee intend to sell and unless restrained will
sell or cause to be sold, the subject property, all to plaintiff’s great and irreparable injury
in that defendant has given notice that the trustee sale of the property will take place on
March 11, 2011 or anytime thereafter, and if the sales take place as scheduled, plaintiff
will forfeit it.
229. The scheduled sales should be enjoined by virtue of the facts alleged that
said sale is wrongful.
EIGHTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Injunctive Relief
(All Plaintiffs and Classes against all Defendants)
230. Plaintiff has no other plain, speedy, or adequate remedy, and the injunction
relief prayed for below is necessary and appropriate at this time to prevent irreparable
loss to plaintiff’s interests.
231. Plaintiff incorporates in this cause of action all of the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 230 as though fully set forth herein.
232. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
233. The amount of money defendant owes to plaintiff or vice versa is unknown
and cannot be determined without an accounting.
234. Plaintiff incorporates in this cause of action all of the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 233 as though set forth in full herein.
235. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
NINTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Accounting
(All Plaintiffs and Classes against all Defendants)
TENTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Unfair and Unlawful Practices
(All plaintiffs and Classes against All Defendants)
236. California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL) defines unfair competition to
include any “unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent” business act or practice. Cal Bus & Prof
Code 17200 et seq.
237. By its terms, the statute is broad in scope. “It governs „anti-competitive
business practices? as well as injuries to consumers, and has as a major purpose “the
preservation of fair business competition.” [Citations.]” (
(1999) 20 Cal.4th 163, 180.) “By defining
unfair competition to include any „ . . . business act or practice? [citation], the
UCL permits violations of other laws to be treated as unfair competition that is
independently actionable. [Citation.]” ( (2002) 27 Cal.4th 939, 949.)
In addition, under the UCL, “„a practice may be deemed unfair even if not specifically
proscribed by some other law.? [Citation.]” (
(2003) 29 Cal.4th 1134, 1143.) The remedies available under the UCL are
“cumulative . . . to the remedies or penalties available under all other laws of this state.”
(Bus. & Prof. Code, § 17205.) (2010)
238. Defendants have violated Cal Bus & Prof Code §17200 et seq with the
conduct as alleged above.
239. Such acts include but are not limited to:
a. Defendants have a pattern and practice of refusing to provide permanent
loan modifications to those borrowers who loans were placed in temporary
Cel-Tech Communications,
Inc. v. Los Angeles Cellular Telephone Co.
unlawful
Kasky v. Nike, Inc.
Korea Supply Co. v. Lockheed Martin
Corp.
Arce v Kaiser Foundations Health Plan, Inc.
HAMP plans but were covered by CDS or other securities/insurance, and
this refusal to provide permanent loan modifications constitutes an
unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business act or practice in violation of UCL,
and/or
b. Defendant Aurora engaged in “fraudulent” business practices under the
UCL because its temporary HAMP Agreements and post temporary HAMP
Agreements were intended and likely to mislead the public into believing
that if they made the additional payments that Aurora required they would
have an opportunity to cure their loan defaults with a permanent HAMP
modification or similar type of agreement prior to foreclosure. A true
opportunity to cure their defaults was “material” to Plaintiffs and the Class
within the meaning of , (2009) 46 Cal 4th 298, 325,
and/or
c. Aurora engaged in “unlawful” business practices under the UCL based on
its violations of the Security First Rule, Cal Code Civ Pro 726 which states
in pertinent part:
(a) There can be but one form of action for the recovery of any debt or
the enforcement of any right secured by mortgage upon real property
or an estate for years therein, which action shall be in accordance with
the provisions of this chapter. n the action the court may, by its
judgment, direct the sale of the encumbered real property or estate for
years therein (or so much of the real property or estate for years as
may be necessary), and the application of the proceeds of the sale to
In re Tobacco II Cases
the payment of the costs of court, the expenses of levy and sale, and
the amount due plaintiff, including, where the mortgage provides for
the payment of attorney’s fees, the sum for attorney’s fees as the court
shall find reasonable, not exceeding the amount named in the
mortgage.
(b) The decree for the foreclosure of a mortgage or deed of trust
secured by real property or estate for years therein shall declare the
amount of the indebtedness or right so secured and, unless judgment
for any deficiency there may be between the sale price and the amount
due with costs is waived by the judgment creditor or a deficiency
judgment is prohibited by Section 580b, shall determine the personal
liability of any defendant for the payment of the debt secured by the
mortgage or deed of trust and shall name the defendants against whom
a deficiency judgment may be ordered following the proceedings
prescribed in this section….
d. Aurora engaged in “unfair” business practices under the UCL because it
violated the laws and underlying legislative policies concerning: (1)
foreclosure prevention; (2) the unavailability of deficiency judgments after
a lender exercised its election to sell under non-judicial foreclosure; and (3)
the rights of contracting parties to enjoy the benefits of their agreements
after having paid valuable consideration for such benefits.
240. As a proximate result of defendant Aurora’s conduct, plaintiff was injured
financially and/or to his property rights. Aurora’s conduct as set forth herein resulted in
loss of money or property to Plaintiff.
241. Plaintiff seeks damages, disgorgement of profits on the CD Swaps,
injunctive relief in the form of correction of his/her, their damaged credit, cure of
default and reconveyance of the deed, and any other equitable relief that the court deems
appropriate.
242. Plaintiff incorporates by reference the allegations in paragraphs 1 through
241 as though fully set out herein.
243. Plaintiffs bring this claim on their own behalf and on behalf of each
member of the Class and Subclass described above.
244. As more fully described above defendants concealed the following material
facts that they had a duty disclose:
e. Defendants Deutsche Bank and Aurora concealed the material fact that
Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Americas as trustee was the
owner of the note and mortgage loan until after the plaintiffs and Class
were thrown into default on their loans.
f. Defendant Deutsche Bank concealed the material fact that the plaintiffs and
Class’s loans were covered with CDS or other similar security/insurance
after the defendant defaulted the plaintiffs and Class’s loans.
g. Defendant Aurora concealed a material fact that the way the contract was
written between Fannie Mae and Aurora, there was a substantial amount of
ELEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION
(Fraud/Concealment of Material Fact)
(All Plaintiffs and Classes against All Defendants)
loans aimed at receiving a more sustainable and affordable mortgage under
HAMP that would not pass the NPV test because the lenders such as
defendant Deutsche Bank had purchased credit default swaps or other types
of investment security/insurance against these mortgages.
245. In plain language, the very types of mortgages the federal HAMP program
was designed to protect were the very types of mortgages that were not being protected
by the terms of the agreement between Aurora and Fannie Mae. The lenders like
defendant Deutsche Bank knew it. The servicers such like defendant Aurora knew or
should have known it and the plaintiffs and the Class in this action didn’t have a clue.
246. Aurora was under a duty by the terms of the contract with Fannie Mae to
disclose this material fact to Fannie Mae when it entered into this Agreement or when it
learned of this material fact from defendant Deutsche Bank. The defendants were under
a duty to disclose the owner of the loan.
247. The suppression of this fact was likely to mislead and did mislead Fannie
Mae, the plaintiffs and the Class.
248. The representations and failure to disclose information and suppression of
the information herein alleged to have been made by defendant were made with the
intent to induce plaintiffs and the Class to act in the manner herein alleged in reliance
thereon.
249. In reliance upon the representation that defendants were qualified to offer
the HAMP program to plaintiffs and the Class and without knowing that their loans
were asset-backed pass-through securities held by Deutsche Bank who bought credit
default swaps or other types of investment security/insurance or what that really meant,
the plaintiffs and the members of the Class continued to make payments on their
mortgage after they were in default and entered into the temporary HAMP agreements
as described above believing if they continued to make their payments they would be
accepted into a permanent HAMP modification.
250. Plaintiffs and the members of the Class, at the time these failures to
disclose and suppressions of facts occurred, and at the time plaintiff took the actions
herein alleged, was ignorant of the existence of the facts which defendant suppressed
and failed to disclose. If plaintiff had been aware of the existence of the facts not
disclosed by defendant, plaintiff would not have paid these additional amounts to the
defendants after default; may not have even signed the note or mortgage loan; and most
likely would not have relied on defendant Aurora’s representations which lulled them
into default without looking beyond the servicer for an alternate solution.
251. As a proximate result of Defendants’ fraudulent conduct as herein alleged,
plaintiffs and the Class were induced to disclose all of their private financial information
and pay Aurora additional monies without any real consideration by reason of which
plaintiffs and the Class have been damaged in the sum of their payments so made.
252. Plaintiffs and the Class seek specific performance or if specific
performance cannot be granted, reformation or if reformation cannot be granted, offset,
equitable remedies to rescind the payments made to defendants under guise of
performance of this contract and disgorgement of profits made on the Plaintiffs and the
Class loans above reasonable rental value of their homes from the time the loans
originated.
253. The aforementioned conduct of defendant(s) was an intentional
misrepresentation, deceit, or concealment of a material fact known to the defendant(s)
with the intention on the part of the defendant(s) of thereby depriving plaintiff of
property or legal rights or otherwise causing injury, and was despicable conduct that
subjected plaintiff to a cruel and unjust hardship in conscious disregard of plaintiff’s
rights, so as to justify an award of exemplary and punitive damages.
254. Plaintiffs and the Class seek specific performance of the temporary HAMP
agreement by converting it to a permanent modification on the same terms and if
specific performance cannot be granted; rescission of all of the agreements as a result of
these failures of consideration. Plaintiffs have no other adequate remedy at law and will
suffer irreparable harm if the agreements are not rescinded and if the fees paid (which
included legal and other fees not required to be paid under their notes) are not returned.
TWELFTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Declaratory Relief/Injunction
FIRST AMENDED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
Yau v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Americas
(As between plaintiff Gloria Yau and all those similarly situated and all
defendants)
8. PRAYER FOR RELIEF
255. Plaintiff incorporates in this cause of action all of the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 254 as though set forth in full herein.
256. Plaintiff Gloria Yau and all those similarly situated always held title in the
home described in the complaint and in the Notice of Default and Foreclosure Sale
attached hereto as exhibits.
257. Plaintiff Gloria Yau was not a signer on the Note and was not a coborrower
on the loan, in fact.
258. Defendants contend that they have the right to non-judicially foreclose on
plaintiff Gloria Yau’s home, and conduct a trustee’s sale relative to that property and
evict her.
259. Plaintiff contends that Defendants do not have a right to foreclose on her
portion of the home.
260. An actual controversy presently exists between Plaintiff Gloria Yau and
Defendants as to the existence of the ability or right to foreclose on her home and evict
her. A judicial decision is necessary and appropriate at this time so that Plaintiff Gloria
Yau and Defendants may ascertain their respective rights relative to Plaintiffs and the
Class’s homes and the appropriate injunction issued.

WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs pray for judgment
against defendants, Aurora Loan
Services, LLC, DBNTC, DBTCA and each of them, jointly and severally, as
follows:
A judicial determination and decree that:
the plaintiffs have cured their default and plaintiff is entitled to
reconveyance upon payment of subsequent sums;
the defendants, and each of them, have no legal right or authority to
foreclose on plaintiff’s home,
that the defendant is reduced to the status of an unsecured creditor,
that defendant improperly applied and/or calculated plaintiff’s payments
requiring a full accounting;
B. An accounting;
C. A permanent or final injunction to force defendants to request immediate
removal of default or foreclosure status and all other derogatory/negative
information from the Plaintiff’s credit reports and to refrain such derogatory
reporting in the future;
A permanent or final injunction, to effect full and fair relief consistent with the
law, including but not limited to forcing defendants to reconvey the deed of the
trust to the plaintiffs and Class and refrain from holding the debt out as
“secured” to any other creditors. Such injunctive relief could include, case
dismissals, rescissions of sales, reconveyance of deeds, cures of defaults,
reinstatement of loans at the principal and rate consistent with the rest of the
relief afforded by way of this Complaint.
Restitution to the Plaintiffs and the Class in amounts to be proven at trial;
Statutory damages and civil penalties;
Disgorgement of profits;
Costs of this action, including the fees and costs of experts;
Attorneys’ fees;
Prejudgment interest at the statutory rate;
Post-judgment interest;
Exemplary and Punitive Damages; and
Grant plaintiffs and the class such other and further relief as this Court finds
necessary and proper.
Plaintiffs hereby demand a jury trial.
Dated: March 11, 2011 LAW OFFICES OF LENORE ALBERT
By _______________
LENORE ALBERT, ESQ.
Attorney for the Plaintiffs and the Class

Yau_-_complaint_First_Amended_Pleading.78103044

Wrongfull foreclosure lawsuit vallejo

http://ahref=

http://www.balitangamerica.tv/foreclosure-lawsuits/?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4dd2daa3410e4e26%2C0

CA Class Action gets a TRO; Credit Default Swaps addressed; HAMP’s bogus nature addressed

CA Class Action gets a TRO; Credit Default Swaps addressed; HAMP’s bogus nature addressed

This complaint from California is remarkable in its treatment of HAMP as well as Credit Default Swaps (CDS) and the rest of the securitization scam.  For research buffs, the complaint can be found here.The federal government is either utterly stupid or in cahoots with the rip-offs on Wall Street.  I tend to believe it is the latter.  Too many “mistakes” lately, especially those related to the “bail-outs.”  The complaint sets forth a clear demonstration of how all the players in the chain (primarily the Servicer and the Securitization Trustee) are incentivized NOT to modify loans, but to foreclose.  To add insult to injury, these rip-offs collect homeowners’ last money, collect the money from the government for MERELY making an ILLUSORY promise of a modification, and collect their own “insurance” (CDSs) on the loans designed to fail (“Subprime”/”Alt-A”).

As the complaint rightly points out, CDSs are line fire insurance on a neighbor’s house: the incentive for arson is too great.

Most of the claim are CA-specific because, apparently, in that state foreclosers need not re-notice a sale once it’s been postponed for pretend-loan-mod efforts, and can sell the property without further notice, notwithstanding apparent loan mod “review.”

This again goes to show: don’t rely on any loan mod promises; instead — modify, but also nullify.

90 day notice to tenants upheld in Azizona

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
STATE OF ARIZONA
DIVISION ONE
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee for the Structured Asset Securities Corporation Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates Series 1998-8, its assignees and/or successors-in-interest,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
PATRICIA DE MEO,
Defendant-Appellant.
)))))))))))))
)
))
1 CA-CV 10-0177
DEPARTMENT B
O P I N I O N
Appeal from the Superior Court in Maricopa County
Cause No. CV 2009-035645
The Honorable Lindsay Best Ellis, Judge Pro Tempore (Retired)
REVERSED
Patricia De Meo, Appellant
In Propria Persona Phoenix
Perry & Shapiro, LLP
by Christopher R. Perry
Jason P. Sherman
Attorneys for Appellee Phoenix
Community Legal Services
by Jeffrey Kastner
Attorneys for Amici Curiae Phoenix
W E I S B E R G, Judge
2
¶1 Appellant, Patricia De Meo, appeals from a judgment finding her guilty of forcible entry and detainer and ordering her to surrender her leased premises to Appellee, The Bank of New York, as Trustee for the Structured Asset Securities Corporation Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates Series 1998-8, its assignees and/or successors-in-interest (“the Bank”). For reasons that follow, we reverse the judgment.
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
¶2 The Bank held a note secured by a deed of trust on real property (“the property”) owned by J.S. J.S. had leased the property to De Meo pursuant to a written lease agreement for one year commencing on August 31, 2005, with an option to purchase that expired on August 31, 2006. After not exercising her option to purchase, De Meo continued to lease the property on a month-to-month basis.
¶3 J.S. later defaulted on the note and the Bank acquired the property at a trustee’s sale. The trustee’s deed was recorded on August 18, 2009. On August 19, 2009, the Bank, through its attorneys, sent a letter to J.S. and/or Occupants giving notice to vacate the property within five days of the date of the letter pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes
3
(“A.R.S.”) 12-1173 and 12-1173.01 (2003).
1
¶4 On November 24, 2009, the Bank filed a forcible entry and detainer (“FED”) complaint against J.S. and “Occupants and Parties-in-Possession.” De Meo was personally served on December 1, 2009. De Meo filed an answer on January 6, 2010 and raised several defenses, including that the Bank did not serve her with the 90-day notice required by the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009 (“PTFA”) § 702, 12 U.S.C. § 5220 (2009). The letter indicated that if the property was not vacated within the time prescribed, the Bank would begin legal proceedings to recover possession of it. De Meo was still a tenant on August 19, 2009 and received the Bank’s five-day written notice to vacate.
2
¶5 Regarding the 90-day notice requirement under the PTFA, the Bank’s attorney told the court that the Bank did not file the FED action until 97 days after the August 19, 2009 letter, and that he did not “find anything here that would require us to provide any additional notice or any additional time.” The court noted that the PTFA was a new law and that
1Under A.R.S. § 12-1173, there is a forcible detainer when a month-to-month tenant refuses to surrender possession of property “for five days after written demand.” Under A.R.S. § 12-1173.01(A)(2), a person who retains possession of property after receiving “written demand of possession” may be removed through an action for forcible detainer “[i]f the property has been sold through a trustee’s sale under a deed of trust.”
2Because of our resolution of this issue, we need not address De Meo’s other arguments.
4
“all of us had a little bit of problem[] trying to figure out what it required, but the one thing that is certain that it requires is 90 days before an individual is going to be subject to a writ of restitution on a piece of property that they’re renting.” The court continued, “You had a valid lease. Once the term of the original written lease expired, it became a month-to-month tenancy. You’re entitled to at least 90 days’ notice from the date of the trustee’s sale.” However, the court reasoned that because the bank was the rightful owner, there was “no theory” that precluded the court from granting immediate possession of the property to the Bank.
¶6 The court granted judgment in the Bank’s favor. The court denied De Meo’s motion for the court to set bond and for a stay pending the outcome of the appeal. De Meo timely appealed. We have jurisdiction pursuant to A.R.S. § 12-2101(B) (2003).
DISCUSSION
¶7 De Meo claims the Bank violated the PTFA by failing to give her a 90-day written notice to vacate and that the court therefore erred in granting judgment in the Bank’s favor. The Bank responds that this appeal should be dismissed because De Meo no longer resides on the property, rendering the appeal moot. The Bank also argues that the court did not err in entering judgment in its favor because the PTFA does not require
5
a written 90-day notice, and because the Bank waited more than 90 days after giving De Meo a written five-day notice to institute the FED action.
Mootness
¶8 “A decision becomes moot for purposes of appeal where as a result of a change of circumstances before the appellate decision, action by the reviewing court would have no effect on the parties.” Vinson v. Marton & Assocs., 159 Ariz. 1, 4, 764 P.2d 736, 739 (App. 1988) (citing Ariz. State Bd. of Dirs. for Junior Colls. v. Phoenix Union High Sch. Dist., 102 Ariz. 69, 73, 424 P.2d 819, 823 (1967)). When a tenant has abandoned property after entry of judgment granting the landlord possession, the issue of mootness arises. Thompson v. Harris, 9 Ariz. App. 341, 344, 452 P.2d 122, 125 (1969). We may, however, consider an issue that has become moot “if there is either an issue of great public importance or an issue capable of repetition yet evading review.” Phoenix Newspapers, Inc. v. Molera, 200 Ariz. 457, 460, ¶ 12, 27 P.3d 814, 817 (App. 2001); Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 2 v. Phoenix Emp. Relations Bd., 133 Ariz. 126, 127, 650 P.2d 428, 429 (1982). Even accepting arguendo the Bank’s argument, the issue of notice under the PTFA and its application to the FED statutes falls within both
6
exceptions to the mootness rule, and we therefore decline to dismiss this appeal on that basis.
90-Day Notice under the PTFA
¶9 The PTFA, effective May 20, 2009, is a federal law protecting tenants who reside in certain foreclosed properties. It provides in pertinent part,
(a) In General-In the case of any foreclosure on a federally-related mortgage loan or on any dwelling or residential real property after the date of enactment of this title, any immediate successor in interest in such property pursuant to the foreclosure shall assume such interest subject to—
(1) the provision, by such successor in interest of a notice to vacate to any bona fide tenant at least 90 days before the effective date of such notice; and
(2) the rights of any bona fide tenant—
(A) under any bona fide lease entered into before the notice of foreclosure to occupy the premises until the end of the remaining term of the lease, except that a successor in interest may terminate a lease effective on the date of sale of the unit to a purchaser who will occupy the unit as a primary residence, subject to the receipt by the tenant of the 90 day notice under subsection (1); or
(B) without a lease or with a lease terminable at will under state law, subject to the receipt by the tenant of the 90 day notice under subsection (1),
except that nothing under this section shall affect the requirements for termination of any Federal-or State-subsidized tenancy or of any State or local law that provides longer time
7
periods or other additional protections for tenants.
(Emphasis added).
¶10 The Bank did not dispute below that the PTFA applies in this case.3
¶11 The interpretation and application of statutes are questions of law, which we review de novo. Kromko v. City of Tucson, 202 Ariz. 499, 501, ¶ 4, 47 P.3d 1137, 1139 (App. 2002). In statutory construction, we first look to the plain language of the statute to determine its meaning and to discern the See Harper v. JP Morgan Chase Bank Nat’l Ass’n, 699 S.E.2d 854, 856 (Ga. App. 2010) (PTFA applies where federally-related mortgage loan is being foreclosed upon and the tenant is a bona fide tenant under a bona fide lease). The Bank argues, however, that the PTFA does not require a written 90-day notice to vacate. Instead, it claims, the tenant need only receive “some notice” and that in this case, the five-day written notice was sufficient.
3Community Legal Services, on behalf of a number of organizations, has filed a brief as an amicus curiae in support of De Meo’s position. See ARCAP 16. In its responsive brief, the Bank has argued, for the first time, that the PTFA is unconstitutional as applied to De Meo and, contrary to its earlier position, that she is not protected by the PTFA because she failed to allege that the foreclosure involved a federally-related mortgage. We do not consider these arguments, however, because they are new issues that were not raised below. Parkinson v. Guadalupe Pub. Safety Ret. Board, 214 Ariz. 274, 278, ¶ 22, 151 P.3d 557, 561 (App. 2007) (court will not consider issues in amicus curiae briefs not raised below).
8
intent of Congress. BedRoc Ltd., LLC v. United States, 541 U.S. 176, 183 (2004). We consider the words or phrases in their statutory context. Id. at 186. Also, if there is an ambiguity in a statute, we may consider its legislative history. Id. at 187, n.8.
¶12 Section 702(a)(1) of PTFA provides that a successor property owner assumes an interest in the property subject to its provision of “a notice to vacate to any bona fide tenant at least 90 days before the effective date of such notice.” (Emphasis added). Section 702(a)(2)(B) specifies that a successor property owner acquires its property interest subject to the right of a bona fide tenant who is “without a lease or a lease terminable at will under state law” to receive “the 90 day notice under subsection (1).” (Emphasis added.) Accordingly, by its express terms, § 702 (a) requires that a successor property owner provide a bona fide month-to-month tenant with a 90-day notice to vacate before terminating the tenancy, and the 90-day period must be completed before the notice’s effective date.
¶13 The Bank nonetheless argues that the phrase “effective date of such notice” in § 702(a)(1) refers to the date the owner “takes action to force the tenant to vacate.” Because the FED hearing did not take place until 97 days after the notice, the
9
Bank asserts that De Meo “received the notice required by the PTFA.” However, that interpretation is not consistent with the language of § 702(a) within the context of the entire provision. See BedRoc, 541 U.S. at 185 (“statutory context . . . confirms ordinary meaning”). As explained above, § 702(a) requires that the effective date provided in the notice to vacate be not less than 90 days after service of the notice upon the tenant. Our reading of this section is supported by the opinions of courts in other jurisdictions.
¶14 In Nativi v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., 2010 WL 2179885 at *3 (N.D. Cal. May 26, 2010), the court opined that “[t]he PTFA protects tenants who are the victims of the foreclosure crisis. Included in the Act is a right for the tenant to occupy the premises until the end of the lease, as well as a right to receive a notice to vacate 90 days before the effective date.” (citations omitted). See also Bank of America, N.A. v. Owens, 903 N.Y.S.2d 667, 671-72 (City Ct. 2010)(the PTFA’s advance notice provisions cannot be construed to permit owners to take measures to circumvent or “short-circuit” the 90-day notice requirement). Obviously, a five-day notice, even when followed by an unannounced 90-day delay, is at best misleading. The noticed tenant could reasonably conclude that all arrangements to vacate the property and relocate must
10
be concluded within the five-day notice period. Such misleading information would not be consistent with the PTFA’s requirement.
¶15 Moreover, the Bank’s interpretation is contrary to the legislative intent expressed in support of the PTFA. As noted by Senator Christopher Dodd, one of the drafters of the PTFA, “all bona fide tenants who began renting prior to transfer of title by foreclosure . . . must be given at least 90 days’ notice before being required to vacate the property.” He added that [t]his new law protects tenants facing evictions due to foreclosure by ensuring that they . . . at the least, receive sufficient notice and time to relocate their families and lives to a new home.” 155 Cong. Rec. S8978-01 (August 6, 2009).4
¶16 Because the Bank failed to comply with the PTFA’s 90-day notice requirement, the trial court erred in finding De Meo guilty of forcible entry and detainer and in entering judgment in the Bank’s favor. The trial court further erred in failing to dismiss the FED action. See Alton v. Tower Capital Co., Inc., 123 Ariz. 602, 604, 601 P.2d 602, 604 (1979)(if landlord fails to give proper written notice, the trial court must find Our holding is consistent with this legislative intent.
4The Bank also asserts that a written 90-day notice to vacate is not required and that oral notice is sufficient to satisfy the PTFA. But the Bank has not cited any authority for this assertion and such an interpretation would be contrary to the express language of the law.
11
the tenant not guilty of forcible detainer and cannot enter judgment in the landlord’s favor); see also Rule 13(a)(2), Arizona Rules of Procedures for Eviction Actions, (if the tenant does not receive proper termination notice, “the court shall dismiss the [FED] action.”).
CONCLUSION
¶17 For the foregoing reasons, we reverse the judgment of the trial court.
_/s/_________________________
SHELDON H. WEISBERG, Judge
CONCURRING:
__/s/__________________________________
DONN KESSLER, Presiding Judge
__/s/_________________________________
DIANE M. JOHNSEN, Judge

CIVIL PROCEDURE: REAL PARTY IN INTEREST EXPLAINED (via Livinglies's Weblog)

CIVIL PROCEDURE: REAL PARTY IN INTEREST EXPLAINED SEE LIVINGLIES LITIGATION SUPPORT AT LUMINAQ.COM EDITOR'S NOTE: Finding that lawyers and judges are confused about the meaning and use of terms like "real party in interest" and "standing," it hardly comes as a surprise that pro se litigants and other homeowners are confused as well. These concepts, which have been used and abused for years now, lie at the crux of the foreclosures and the reason why they should not be allowed to proceed. In plain … Read More

via Livinglies's Weblog

robosigners unite

Review Pleadings
“Corrective” Assignment
Lender Processing
Admission by Shapiro Law Firm that Linda Green was NOT authorized to sign by MERS.


10 VERSIONS
LINDA GREEN
10 VERSIONS OF LINDA GREEN SIGNATURES ON MORTGAGE DOCUMENTS


20 TITLES
LINDA GREEN
MORTGAGE ASSIGNMENTS SHOWING 20 DIFFERENT JOB TITLES USED BY LINDA GREEN


4 VERSIONS
TYWANNA THOMAS
4 VERSIONS OF TYWANNA THOMAS SIGNATURES ON MORTGAGE DOCUMENTS


A FORGED BANK OF AMERICA SATISFACTION
Linda Green
Example of a forged “Linda Green” signature on a Mortgage Release and Satisfaction from Bank of America


A FORGED BANK OF AMERICA SATISFACTION #2
Linda Green
Example of a forged “Linda Green” signature on a Mortgage Release and Satisfaction from Bank of America


A FORGED BANK OF AMERICA SATISFACTION #3
Linda Green
Another example of “Linda Green” signing Mortgage Satisfactions


A FORGED BANK OF AMERICA SATISFACTION #4
Linda Green
Another Satisfaction, with a very different signature version of Linda Green than the other Satisfactions


A LINDA GREEN/WELLS FARGO ASSIGNMENT
WELLS FARGO
SIGNATURE VERSION #1


A LINDA GREEN/WELLS FARGO ASSIGNMENT
WELLS FARGO
SIGNATURE VERSION #2


A LINDA GREEN/WELLS FARGO ASSIGNMENT
WELLS FARGO
SIGNATURE VERSION #3


A WELLS FARGO/LINDA GREEN AFFIDAVIT
WELLS FARGO
NOTARIZED OVER 6 MONTHS AFTER THE LINDA GREEN “SIGNATURE”


A WELLS FARGO/LINDA GREEN AFFIDAVIT #2
WELLS FARGO
SIGNED IN JANUARY 2008; NOTARIZED IN JANUARY 2009


AHMSI
Coppell, TX
Response of giant mortgage servicer American Home Mortgage Servicing to the investigative report by 60 Minutes: the “real” assignments are still in the vault


Ally Financial/GMAC
Jeffrey Stephan
Nine Examples of Mortgage Assignments Signed by Jeffrey Stephan of Ally Financial Transferring MortgagesTo Unidentified Trusts


Altrui Assignment
Broward County
Example of an Assignment of a non-performing loan to a Wells Fargo trust years after the closing date of the trust.


Altrui Lis Pendens
Broward County
Lis Pendens showing the Altrui foreclosure action was filed by Wells Fargo as Trustee PRIOR to the date the trust acquired the mortgage


Anderson, Scott
Ocwen Loan Servicing
Version #1 of robo-signer Scott Anderson’s signature


Anderson, Scott
Ocwen Loan Servicing
Version #2 of robo-signer Scott Anderson’s signature


Anderson, Scott
Ocwen Loan Servicing
Version #3 of robo-signer Scott Anderson’s signature


Anderson, Scott
Ocwen Loan Servicing
Version #4 of robo-signer Scott Anderson’s signature


Anderson, Scott
Ocwen Loan Servicing
Version #5 of robo-signer Scott Anderson’s signature


Assignment of Mortgage
Miami-Dade County, FL
The Signer thinks she is Assistant Secretary of a company called “Assignment of Mortgage.” Notary thinks the same.


BACK-UP FOR EXHIBIT
LINDA GREEN
EXHIBIT WITH 1-12 VERSIONS OF LINDA GREEN SIGNATURE


Bankruptcy Opinion, In re Wilson
Eastern District of Louisiana
Opinion issued by Honorable Elizabeth W. Magner, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, on April 6, 2011, regarding fraudulent practices of Lender Processing Services.


Barbara Hindman
JP Morgan
Barbara Hindman signing as Vice President of MERS as nominee for First National Bank of AZ (signing for GRANTOR while really working for GRANTEE)


Barbara Hindman
JP Morgan
Barbara Hindman signing as Vice President, Bank of America, N.A., as successor by merger to LaSalle Bank, N.A. as trustee for WMALT 2006-AR03 Trust by JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. as attorney-in-fact


Barbara Hindman
JP Morgan
Barbara Hindman signing as Vice president, MERS, as Nominee for United Financial Mortgage Corp. (signing for the GRANTOR while working for the GRANTEE)


Barbara Hindman
JP Morgan
Barbara Hindman, signing as a Vice President of MERS, as nominee for First Magnus Financial Corporation (signing for the GRANTOR while working for the GRANTEE)


Barbara Hindman
JP Morgan
Barbara Hindman, signing as Vice President, JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as successor-in-interest to Washington Mutual Bank (assigning to trust years after the closing date of the trust)


Barbara Hindman
JP Morgan
Barbara Hindman, signing as Vice President, JP Morgan Chase Bank (to assign a mortgage to a trust years after the closing date of the trust)


Beth Cerni
David Stern Law Offices
Stern employee Beth Cerni’s signature looking exactly like Cheryl Samons signature (another Stern employee) notarized by yet another Stern employee


Bly, Bryan
Nationwide Title Clearing
Mortgage Assignment Signed by Bryan Bly as Attorney-In-Fact for the FDIC as receiver of IndyMac FSB on June 25, 2010.


Bly, Bryan
Nationwide Title Clearing
Mortgage Assignment Signed by Bryan Bly as Attorney-In-Fact for the FDIC as receiver of IndyMac FSB on June 25, 2010.


Brittany Snow
docx/LPS
Notary Fraud Example


Cheryl Samons
Law Offices of David Stern
Signature of Stern employee Cheryl Samons to compare with Beth Cerni signature – Samons signed over 10,000 mortgage assignments in FL in 2008 & 2009 – as a MERS officer


CHERYL SAMONS
STERN FIRM
CHERYL SAMONS SIGNING AS NOTARY ELIZABETH LEE


CHERYL SAMONS
DAVID STERN Law Offices
Unsigned Cheryl Samons Assignment – with blank line witnessed and notarized


Corrective Assignment #2
Linda Green
Another “Corrective Assignment” filed stating Green had no authority to sign on behalf of MERS


DEUTSCHE BANK
NEW York
SUMMARY OF MORTGAGE-RELATED OPINIONS OF JUDGE ARTHUR SCHACK


Doza, Sherry
SMI
Signature Versions of Sherry Doza, formerly with Stewart Mortgage Information in Houston, TX – now with First American Core Logic, Santa Ana, CA


FL Default Law Group
Jeffrey Stephans
Prominent Florida Foreclosure Firm Admits to Improper Affidavits from Jeffrey Stephans


Freddie Mac fraud
Docx/LPS
Example of Assignment Effective Date 9/9/9999


Jessica Ohde
Docx
Signature Version #3


Jessica Ohde
Docx
Signature Version #1


Jessica Ohde
Docx
Signature Version #2 – and another example of a “Bogus” Assignment


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Assistant Secretary of American Home Mortgage Servicing


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Assistant Secretary of U.S. Bank, N.A.


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Assistant Secretary of MERS as nominee for American Brokers Conduit


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Assistant Secretary of Sand Canyon Corporation as successor-in-interest to Option One Mortgage Corp.


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Asst. Secretary of MERS, as nominee for American Home Mortgage (years AFTER the bankruptcy of American Home Mortgage)


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Asst. Secretary of MERS, as nominee for Homestar Mortgage Lending Corp.


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Assistant Secretary of Argent Mortgage Company, LLC by Citi Residential Lending, Inc. as Attorney-In-Fact


Kathy Smith
Lender Processing
Kathy Smith signing as Attorney-In-Fact for Ameriquest Mortgage Company


Keri Selman
BAC/Countrywide
Mortgage-related decisions and documents regarding the many job titles claimed by Keri Selman of BAC Home Loans Servicing


Korell Harp
Docx
Harp and Thomas signing as officers of “A Bad Bene” – witnessed & notarized!


Korell Harp
Docx
Korell Harp Signature Version #1


Korell Harp
Docx
Signature Version #2


Korell Harp
Docx
Signature Version #3


Linda Green
DOCX/LPS
Linda Green Signing as Vice President of Citigroup Global Markets Realty


Linda Green
Docx
Example of signature variation


Linda Green
Docx
Example #2 of signature variations


Linda Green
Docx
Example #3 of signature variations


Linda Green
Docx
Signature variation #4


Linda Green
Docx
Most frequent Linda Green signature variation


Linda Green
Docx
Is Linda Green also Linda Thoresen? Compare These.


Linda Green
DOCX/LPS
Mortgage-related decisions and documents regarding the many job titles and signatures of Linda Green, former employee of DOCX/Lender Processing Services in Alpharetta, GA.


Linda Thoresen
Docx
Linda Thoresen Signature Version #2


Linda Thoresen
Docx/LPS
Signature Version #1 of Linda Thoresen


Linda Thoresen
Docx/LPS
Signature Version #3 Linda Thoresen


Mortgage Electronic Registration
MERS
Deposition of MERS VP William Hultman


Shelly Scheffey
Docx/LPS
Docx employee Shelly Scheffey Forgot To Sign Assignment, but the blank line was witnessed and notarized by Docx employees Christina Huang and Shawanna Crite


Steve Nagy
New Century
Steve Nagy of New Century Mortgage forgot to sign – but his signature was still witnessed


Taylor for Deutsche Bank
FL – 5th DCA
Motion for Rehearing in foreclosure case


Tywanna Thomas
Docx
Tywanna Thomas Signature Version #1


Tywanna Thomas
Docx/LPS
Signature Version #3


Tywanna Thomas
Docx
Signature Version #2


Tywanna Thomas
Docx/LPS
Assignment – Tywanna Thomas Forgot To Sign – but the blank line was still witnessed & notarized by Docx employees Christina Huang and Alicia Williams


U.S. SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. ALEKSAY KAMARDIN
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
Civil Action Filed By the SEC For Injunctive and Other Relief For Conducting A Fraudulent Trading Scheme


Understanding
Mortgage-Backed Securities
Talking Points for PGA Conference


USA v. ADAM SEGAN, et al.
Middle District of Florida (Orlando)
Using Phony Subcontractors & Immigrant Workers To Defraud the IRS & Workers’ Comp


USA v. ALLEN HILLY
DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY, Newark Division
231-Count Complaint Against the Owner of Leading Edge Insurance Group and Several Illinois PEOs for Money Laundering and Wire Fraud


USA v. BERNARD MADOFF
Southern District of NY
COMPLAINT in the case that is possibly the largest securities fraud ever committed.


USA v. CENTURY EXPRESS VAN LINES, et al.
Southern District of Florida
Fraudulently Offering Low Moving Estimates, Then Inflating the Prices, and Withholding Delivery


USA v. CHARLENE CYNTHIA DEMARCO, et al.
United States District Court, District of New Jersey (Camden)
Conspiracy To Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud for Allegedly Defrauding Patients Suffering from ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease


USA v. DAVID BRUCE, et al.
District of South Carolina (Greenville)
Wire Fraud Case Alleging Attempt to Defraud Potential Investors By Luring Them To A Non-Existent High-Yield Trading Program


USA v. DENNIS B. EVANSON, et al.
District of Utah
Tax Evasion Using Offshore Entities


USA v. DENNIS E. LAMBKA and RONALD E. BRAY
Eastern District of Michigan
Tax Fraud, Bank Fraud and Embezzlement by the Principals of a National Employee Leasing Company, Simplified Employment Solutions


USA v. ENRIQUE GUEVARO, ERICK BRANDON and ALEXANDRA CORDERO
Southern District of Florida (Miami)
Workers’ Compensation Premium Premium Fraud Case Involving General Contractor Who Falsely Claimed That A Large Portion of Its Payroll Was Attributable to Insured Sub-Contractors


USA v. FRANK HERNANDEZ, et al.
Southern District of Florida (West Palm Beach)
Drug and Conspiracy Charges Against 14 Individuals and Seven Companies For Prescription Drug Trafficking on the Internet


USA v. GABRIEL MACENROE, et al.
District of South Carolina
Criminal Complaint Fraudulent High Yield Investment Scheme


USA v. JAMES E. TAYLOR
Eastern District of Kentucky
108 Counts of Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud in the Fraudulent Sale of Workers’ Compensation Insurance


USA v. JAMES KERNAN
NDNY
Conspiracy and fraud charges relating to the owner of Oriska Insurance and Insurance Co. of the Americas and Robert J. “Skip” Anderson.


USA v. JOHN COTONA et al.
District of New Jersey, Trenton Division
Staged Automobile Accident Allegations Against Multiple Defendants


USA v. JUSTIN BRUNER and PAUL VOYLES
WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA
Mail Fraud and False Declarations Charges Against the Owners of a PEO, Fairway Employment Services, for Selling Fraudulent Insurance


USA v. LAWRENCE JONES
Middle District of Florida
Conspiracy and wire fraud case alleging Lawrence Jones, an officer of several PEOs, sold fraudulent insurance, Regency of the West Indies.


USA v. LEROY BROWN
United States District Court, District of New Jersey (Newark)
Embezzlement by a Former Financial Manager at the Salvation Army


USA v. Leroy Felt
Southern District of FLorida (Miami)
Tax fraud case alleging that the owner of Woody’s Construction, a builder of single-family homes, paid his employees in cash “under-the-table” to avoid payroll taxes.


USA v. MALCOLM WEBBER
Wichita, Kansas
Complaint alleging Malcolm Webber, a/k/a Grand Chief Thunderbird IV, sold memberships in an unrecognized Indian tribe, to immigrants who thought they could get citizenship through the tribe.


USA v. MARK S. HAUKEDAHL
Northern District of Ohio
Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Charges Against An Agent Who Sold Fraudulent Errors and Omissions Insurance To 4,500 Real Estate Agents From 1993 Through 2004


USA v. NEAL BERGSTROM
District of Utah
Indictment Charging the Former CEO of A Utah Employee Leasing Company, Advantius, Inc., With Defruading the IRS of Employment Taxes


USA v. PETER J. PORCELLI, II
Southern District of Illinois
Telemarketing Fraud Allegations from “Operation No Credit” Alleging Marketing of Phony Visa and MasterCards to Individuals With Poor Credit or No Credit


USA v. RICHARD ROSENBAUM
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICH.
Indictment charging Richard Rosenbaum, Edward Scott Cunningham and Christina Flocken with Defrauding the IRS of over $18 million by using illegal immigrant workers and failing to pay taxes


USA v. ROBERT BARNWELL CLARKSON
Greenville, SC
Civil case filed by the USA Treasury Dept. against a tax scheme promoter.


USA v. RODNEY RICHLEY
Northern District of Ohio
Tax fraud and money laundering charges against the former owner of Payroll Data Services, a PEO in Kettering, Ohio, charging that $4.3 million in federal employment taxes were diverted for Richley’s personal use.


USA v. Ronald Ferguson, et al.
Connecticut
Order Denying Defendants’ Post-Trial Motions for Judgment of Acquittal


USA v. TERRANCE D. STRADFORD, et al.
United States District Court, District of New Jersey (Camden)
Conspiracy, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering for Operating a Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain $1.36 Million in Mortgages and Spending the Proceeds on Luxury Items Including a 46-foot Yacht, a North Carolina Residence, and Vehicles.


USA v. THOMAS KING
Middle District of Florida
Mail Fraud and Selling Fraudulent Insurance by the Principal of Miralink Group, an Employee Leasing Company in Jacksonville, Florida


USA v. WM. COLTON COILE
Middle District of Florida
Criminal Information filed against Wm. Colton Coile of Fairhope, Alabama, for his role in selling fraudulent workers’ compensation insurance through employee leasing companies.


USAv. JOSEPH GIANETTI, JR.
DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY (NEWARK)
Criminal Information Filed Against New Jersey Chiropractor for Medical Billing Fraud


Wells Fargo v. Moise
Kings County, NY
Foreclosure decision written by Justice Wayne P Saitta involving an Assignment dated several months AFTER a foreclosure action was filed


linda green robo signer notary fraud complaint

If Linda Green or any of the other docx companies signed any of your assignments or substitution of trustee this might be your complaint:

mccandlessrobosignercomplaintlindagreenrobo signer

Timothy L. McCandless, Esq. SBN 147715

LAW OFFICES OF TIMOTHY L. MCCANDLESS

1881 Business Center Drive, Ste. 9A

San Bernardino, CA 92392

Tel:  909/890-9192

Fax: 909/382-9956

Attorney for Plaintiffs

 

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

 

COUNTY OF ____________

___________________________________,

And ROES 1 through 5,000,

Plaintiff,

v.

SAND CANYON CORPORATION f/k/a OPTION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION; AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC.; WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Trustee for SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2; DOCX, LLC; and PREMIER TRUST DEED SERVICES and all persons unknown claiming any legal or  equitable right, title, estate, lien, or interest  in the property described in the complaint adverse to Plaintiff’s title, or any cloud on Plaintiff’s  title thereto, Does 1 through 10, Inclusive,

Defendants.

CASE NO:

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT

FOR QUIET TITLE, DECLARATORY RELIEF, TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, PRELIMINARY INJUNTION AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION, CANCELATION OF INSTRUMENT AND FOR DAMAGES ARISING FROM:

SLANDER OF TITLE; TORTUOUS

VIOLATION OF STATUTE [Penal

Code § 470(b) – (d); NOTARY FRAUD;

///

///

///

///

Plaintiffs ___________________________ allege herein as follows:

GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

            1.         Plaintiffs ___________ (hereinafter individually and collectively referred to as “___________”), were and at all times herein mentioned are,  residents of the County of _________, State of California and the lawful owner of a parcel of real property commonly known as: _________________, California _______ and the legal description is:

Parcel No. 1:

A.P.N. No. _________ (hereinafter “Subject Property”).

2.         At all times herein mentioned, SAND CANYON CORPORATION f/k/a OPTION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION (hereinafter SAND CANYON”), is and was, a corporation existing by virtue of the laws of the State of California and claims an interest adverse to the right, title and interests of Plaintiff in the Subject Property.

3.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. (hereinafter “AMERICAN”), is and was, a corporation existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, and at all times herein mentioned was conducting ongoing business in the State of California.

4.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Trustee for SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2 (hereinafter referred to as “WELLS FARGO”), is and was, a member of the National Banking Association and makes an adverse claim to the Plaintiff MADRIDS’ right, title and interest in the Subject Property.

5.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant DOCX, L.L.C. (hereinafter “DOCX”), is and was, a limited liability company existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Georgia, and a subsidiary of Lender Processing Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

6.         At all times herein mentioned, __________________, was a company existing by virtue of its relationship as a subsidiary of __________________.

7.         Plaintiffs are ignorant of the true names and capacities of Defendants sued herein as DOES I through 10, inclusive, and therefore sues these Defendants by such fictitious names and all persons unknown claiming any legal or equitable right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the property described in the complaint adverse to Plaintiffs’ title, or any cloud on Plaintiffs’ title thereto. Plaintiffs will amend this complaint as required to allege said Doe Defendants’ true names and capacities when such have been fully ascertained. Plaintiffs further allege that Plaintiffs designated as ROES 1 through 5,000, are Plaintiffs who share a commonality with the same Defendants, and as the Plaintiffs listed herein.

8.         Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereon allege that at all times herein mentioned, Defendants, and each of them, were the agent and employee of each of the remaining Defendants.

9.         Plaintiffs allege that each and every defendants, and each of them, allege herein ratified the conduct of each and every other Defendant.

10.       Plaintiffs allege that at all times said Defendants, and each of them, were acting within the purpose and scope of such agency and employment.

11.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that circa July 2004, DOCX was formed with the specific intent of manufacturing fraudulent documents in order create the false impression that various entities obtained valid, recordable interests in real

properties, when in fact they actually maintained no lawful interest in said properties.

12.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that as a regular and ongoing part of the business of Defendant DOCX was to have persons sitting around a table signing names as quickly as possible, so that each person executing documents would sign approximately 2,500 documents per day. Although the persons signing the documents claimed to be a vice president of a particular bank of that document, in fact, the party signing the name was not the person named on the document, as such the signature was a forgery, that the name of the person claiming to be a vice president of a particular financial institution was not a “vice president”, did not have any prior training in finance, never worked for the company they allegedly purported to be a vice president of, and were alleged to be a vice president simultaneously with as many as twenty different banks and/or lending institutions.

13.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that the actual signatories of the instruments set forth in Paragraph 12 herein, were intended to and were fraudulently notarized by a variety of notaries in the offices of DOCX in Alpharetta, GA.

14.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that for all purposes the intent of Defendant DOCX was to intentionally create fraudulent documents, with forged signatures, so that said documents could be recorded in the Offices of County Recorders through the United States of America, knowing that such documents would forgeries, contained false information, and that the recordation of such documents would affect an interest in real property in violation of law.

15.       Plaintiffs allege that on or about, ____________, that they conveyed a first deed of  trust (hereinafter “DEED”) in favor of Option One Mortgage, Inc. with an interest of

approximately $_________________.

16.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that Option One Mortgage sold interest in the aforementioned DEED to unknown parties as a derivative security, who then repeatedly resold their respective interests, if any, in said DEED on at least six different occasions.

17.       Plaintiffs allege that pursuant to California Civil Code section 2932.5, an assignee may effectuate the power of sale provided the assignment is properly acknowledged and recorded. Plaintiffs further allege that due to acts and/or omissions of Defendants, and each of them, that none of the named Defendants herein are holders in due course and do not maintain an interest in the Subject Property, including but, not limited to: there are no lawful records connecting Defendants to this property other that Sand Canyon Corporation f/k/a Option One Mortgage Corporation, and the interest of Sand Canyon Corporation f/k/a Option One Mortgage Corporation was long ago sold-off to unrelated third parties for which there is no proper “paper trail” to establish the true holder in due course. Plaintiffs allege that as will be seen hereinafter that Defendants, and each of them, resorted to forged instruments in an attempt to create the appearance that Defendant Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as Trustee of the Soundview Home Loan Trust 2007-OPT2.

18.       Plaintiffs allege that due to certain acts and/or omissions once the DEED was “assigned” to various parties the DEED was detrimentally affected in a number ways, including but, not limited to: that the power of sale inherent in the DEED was severed, because the subsequent parties were no longer holders in due course as a matter of law.

19.       On April 3, 2011, on the national program “60 Minutes”, two former employees of DOCX made admissions which entirely support the allegations set forth in Paragraphs 12 and 13, herein. During said program, former employee, Chris Pendley [sic] stated that he personally drafted the name of “Linda Green” on thousands and thousands of assignments, although he was not Linda Green, that he was signing in excess of 2,500 documents per day, and that he was paid the sum of ten ($10.00) per hour to forge the name of “Linda Green” and that he made no inspection of any documents to determine whether the execution of the assignment was lawful, had no training to make an inspection of documents to determine if the assignment was lawful, and was told by his superiors that his execution of the name Linda Green was lawful.

20.       On April 3, 2011, Linda Green, a former employee of DOCX, appeared on the aforementioned “60 Minutes” program and stated that she worked in the mailroom of DOCX and

eventually signed some documents, that although she was listed as a vice president of several

companies, that she had no connection with those companies, and that she was aware that her signature was being used by several other persons on assignments because her name was short and easy to spell.

21.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that Linda Green, acting in her capacity as an employee of DOCX allowed her name to forged upon literally thousands of purported assignments, although Linda Green never executed those assignments, never inspected those assignments, and that DOCX simply listed that Linda Green was a vice president at various

Banks and lending institutions, however, Linda Green was not lawfully a vice president, and the assertion that Linda Green was a vice president was an artifice. Plaintiffs further allege that Linda Green’s name fraudulent appeared on documents for the following institutions: 11-11-2004 & 06-22-2006 Vice President, Loan Documentation, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., successor by merger to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc.; 08-11-2008 & 08-14-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 08-27-2008 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing as successor-in-interest to Option One Mortgage Corporation; 09-19-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 09-30-2008;

Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home

Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 09-30-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 10-08-2009 Vice President & Asst. Secretary, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., as servicer for Ameriquest Mortgage Corporation; 10-16-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 10-17-2008, 11-20-2008

Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American

Brokers Conduit; 11-20-2008 Vice President, Option One Mortgage Corporation; 12-08-2008

Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 12-15-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for HLB Mortgage; 12-24-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 12-26-2008 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc.; 01-13-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Family Lending Services, Inc.; 01-15-2009

Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for

American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 02-03-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 02-05-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for

American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 02-24-2009 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc. as successor-in-interest to Option One Mortgage Corporation;

02-25-2009 Vice President, Bank of America, N.A.; 02-27-2009 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., as successor-in-interest to Option One Mortgage Corporation;

03-02-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for American Home Mortgage; 03-04-2009 Vice President, Argent Mortgage Company, LLC by Citi Residential Lending Inc., attorney-in-fact; 03-06-2009 & 03-20-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home

Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 04-15-2009, 04-17-2009, 04-20-2009 Vice President, Bank of America, N.A.; 05-11-2009, 07-06-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 07-14-2009 Vice

President, Bank of America, N.A.; 07-15-2009 Vice President & Asst. Secretary, American

Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., as servicer for Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as trustee for, Ameriquest Mortgage Securities, Inc. asset-backed pass through certificates, series 2004-R7, under the pooling and servicing agreement dated July 1, 2004; 07-30-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home

Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 08-12-2009 Vice President, Sand Canyon Corporation f/k/a Option One Mortgage Corporation; 08-28-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 09-03-2009

Asst. Vice President, Sand Canyon Corporation formerly known as Option One Mortgage

Corporation; 09-03-2009 Asst. Secretary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for American Home Mortgage; 09-04-2009 Asst. Secretary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for American Home Mortgage;

09-08-2009 Vice President, Bank of America, N.A.; 09-21-2009 & 09-22-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc. Plaintiffs further allege that Linda Green was never lawfully the vice president of any entity, more particularly the foregoing listed entities.

22.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that Defendant DOCX was a continuing criminal enterprise whose sole function was to create and forge fraudulent assignments which would purport to convey interests in real property and the entities listed in Paragraph 21 hereinabove, were complicate in Defendants’ fraud.

23.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe from beginning circa 2007 and continuing until sometime in 2010, DOCX produced thousands upon thousands of false and fraudulent assignments which were recorded in the Offices of the County Recorders of the State of

California, and several other States in the United States of America as well.

24.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that during the “60 Minutes” program on April 3, 2011, another former DOCX employee, Savonna Krite [sic] acted as a notary public and notarized that the signatures of Linda Green and others, were valid, however, she admitted that the notarizations were not that of Linda Green. Savonna Krite [sic] further admitted that she was told by officers of DOCX that it was “alright” for her to notarize signatures as being valid. Savonna Krite [sic] also admitted as of the program that she now understands that her notarizations of said assignments were “not alright.”

25.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that because the entire company structure of DOCX was to manufacture forged assignments by the thousands per day, without any consideration whatsoever that the information contained on those assignments was valid, and that the notarizations were in fact fraudulent, that no reasonable expectation can be made that any of the assignments executed by DOCX employees were or are valid.

26.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that circa _______,

Defendants, and each of them, utilized the services of DOCX in order to manufacture a fraudulent assignment from Defendant AMERICAN to WELLS FARGO, because WELLS FARGO could not find documents which would demonstrate that it owned an interest in the Plaintiffs’ subject property.

27.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that WELLS FARGO never had a lawful interest in the Plaintiffs’ subject property, either in its own capacity or as that as Trustee for the SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2.

28.       Plaintiffs allege that they fully tendered all mortgage payments which were

lawfully due under the DEED, and that they are not in default of their payments, having lawfully

tendered all amounts due and owing.

29.       Plaintiffs allege that WELLS FARGO made demands for payment as against the DEED, however, Plaintiffs allege that WELLS FARGO was not a lawful holder in due course, that SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2 was not a lawful holder in due course, and that neither party had any lawful right, title and interest in the DEED.

30.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that on or about, _______________, Defendant DOCX at the request of Defendants, and each of them, forged an instrument (hereinafter “FORGED ASSIGNMENT”) with the name “Linda Green” which was notarized by

“Ellis Simmons.”

31.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that on or about, _______________, an unknown employee of DOCX, in the course and scope of their employment, signed the name “Linda Green” and that such document had a notary stamp placed upon the FORGED ASSIGNMENT which purported to be lawfully notarized by “Ellis Simmons.”

32.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that the FORGED

ASSIGNMENT was then sent by DOCX through the United States Postal Service or transmitted by facsimile over the telephone and telegraph wires of the United States of America to Defendants, and each of them, in order that such FORGED ASSIGNMENT would be recorded in the Office of the County Recorder of the County of _______________.

32.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that on or about _______________, that Defendants, and each of them, their employees and/or agents, caused the FORGED ASSIGNMENT which unlawfully affected Plaintiffs’ subject property to be recorded in the Office of the Country Recorder of the County of _______________ as Instrument No. _______________. A true and correct copy of the assignment set forth in Paragraphs 30 – 31, is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and is incorporated by this reference.

33.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that the sole claim of Defendants, and each of them, as to their right, title and/or interest in the Plaintiffs’ Subject Property is the  FORGED ASSIGNMENT.

34.       Plaintiffs allege that the FORGED ASSIGNMENT as a matter of law is void and that it did not constitute a conveyance of an interest to Defendants, or to anyone at all, and that the FORGED ASSIGNMENT is a legal nullity.

35.       Plaintiffs allege that Defendants, and each of them, are presently relying upon the FORGED ASSIGNMENT and are knowingly and intentionally prosecuting a non-judicial foreclosure based solely upon the recordation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, necessitating the instant action.

FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF

(Slander of Title As Against All Defendants)

            36.       Plaintiffs incorporate Paragraphs 1 through 35 of the General Allegations as though such have been fully set forth herein.

37.       Plaintiffs allege that on or about, _______________, Defendants, and each of them, in some measure actively, directly, indirectly, openly and secretly contributed to the preparation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT and the recordation of said Instrument in the Official Records of the Office of the County Recorder of _______________ County.

38.       Plaintiffs allege that the recordation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, by Defendants and each of them, rendered Plaintiffs’ title to the Subject Property as unmarketable.

39.       Plaintiffs allege that Defendants, and each of them, recorded the FORGED

ASSIGNMENT without privilege, knowledge and/or consent of Plaintiffs, the information contained in said FORGED ASSIGNMENT is false in that no lawful conveyance ever existed between the parties thereto, and said FORGED ASSIGNMENT when recorded published the information therein which disparaged Plaintiffs’ title as would lead a reasonable man to falsely assume that Defendants, and each of them, in some measure actually maintained some right, title and interest in Plaintiffs’ Subject Property, whereas, some of the information contained in the FORGED ASSIGNMENT is false. A true and correct copy of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT  is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and is incorporated by this reference.

40.       Plaintiffs allege that they actually and proximately suffered damages due to the planning, preparation and recordation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT in an amount the totality of which has not been fully ascertained, but in no event less than the jurisdictional limitations of this court.

41.       Plaintiffs allege that the slander of the Subject Properties title was intentional,

fraudulent, malicious, oppressive and burdensome and deserving the imposition of punitive

damages in an amount sufficient that such conduct will not be repeated.

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION

(Tortuous Violation of Statute Penal Code §§ 470(b), 470(d)

As Against Sand Canyon Corporation f/k/a Option One Mortgage Corporation;

American Home Mortgage Services, Inc.; Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Trustee

for Soundview Home Loan Trust 2007-OPT2; DOCX, LLC)

42.       Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate Paragraphs 1 through 35 of the General Allegations and Paragraphs 36 through 41 of the First Cause of Action as though such have been fully set forth herein.

43.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that circa July 2004, Defendants, and each of them, contrived a scheme to replace missing documents which purported to assert interests in real properties through-out the United States of America.

44.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that by August 2008, Defendants, and each of them, had in some measure participated in the request for production of forged instruments from DOCX, as well as other document forgery mills, the purpose of which was to effect title to real properties through-out the United States of America.

45.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that on or about, August 8, 2008, the agents and/or employees of Defendants and each of them, knowingly and intentionally with the intent to defraud Plaintiffs’ interest in the Subject Property, prepared the FORGED ASSIGNMENT and caused said FORGED ASSIGNMENT to be recorded in the Official Records of the Office of the Recorder of the County of _______________ as Instrument No. _______________. A true and correct copy of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and is incorporated by this reference.

46.       Plaintiffs allege that Defendants, and each of them, tortuously forged the

signature of Linda Green, on the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, with the intent to defraud Plaintiffs, and such forgery directly affected Plaintiffs’ interest in the Subject Property in tortuous violation of California Penal Code sections 470(b) and 470(d).

47.       Plaintiffs allege that they actually and proximately suffered damages due to the planning, preparation and recordation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT in an amount the totality of which has not been fully ascertained, but in no event less than the jurisdictional limitations of this court.

48.       Plaintiffs allege that the tortuous violation of Penal Code sections 470(b) and 470(d), by and through the preparation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, and subsequent recordation thereof was in willful disregard for Plaintiffs’ right, title and interest in the Subject Property,  intentional, fraudulent, malicious, oppressive and burdensome and deserving the imposition of punitive damages in an amount sufficient that such conduct will not be repeated.

THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION

(Notary Fraud  As Against DOCX, LLC and Defendants 1 through 10, Inclusive)

49.       Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate Paragraphs 1 through 35 of the General Allegations, Paragraphs 35 through 41 and Paragraphs 42 through 48 of  the First and Second Causes of Action as though such have been fully set forth herein.

50.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that circa July 2004, Defendants, and each of them, contrived a scheme to replace missing documents which purported to assert interests in real properties through-out the United States of America.

51.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that by August 2008, Defendants, and each of them, had in some measure participated in the request for production of forged instruments from DOCX, as well as other document forgery mills, the purpose of which

was to effect title to real properties through-out the United States of America.

52.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that on or about, _____________, the agents and/or employees of Defendants and each of them, knowingly and

intentionally with the intent to defraud Plaintiffs’ interest in the Subject Property, prepared the FORGED ASSIGNMENT and caused said FORGED ASSIGNMENT to be recorded in the Official Records of the Office of the Recorder of the County of _______________ as Instrument No. _______________. A true and correct copy of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and is incorporated by this reference.

53.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that the FORGED ASSIGNMENT contained knowingly false statements including, but not limited to: that Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Trustee for Soundview Home Loan Trust 2007-OPT2, that Linda Green was a vice president of American Home Mortgage Services, Inc., and that Ellis Simmons lawfully notarized the FORGED ASSIGNMENT.

54.       Plaintiffs allege that they actually and proximately suffered damages due to the planning, preparation and recordation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT in an amount the totality of which has not been fully ascertained, but in no event less than the jurisdictional limitations of this court.

55.       Plaintiffs allege that Defendants, and each of them, committed notary fraud by and through the preparation and notarization of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, and subsequent recordation thereof was in willful disregard for Plaintiffs’ right, title and interest in the Subject Property, intentional, fraudulent, malicious, oppressive and burdensome and deserving the imposition of punitive damages in an amount sufficient that such conduct will not be repeated.

FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION

(Cancellation of Instrument As Against Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as Trustee for

  Soundview Home Loan Trust 2007-OPT2 and Defendants 1 through 10, Inclusive)

56.       Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate Paragraphs 1 through 35 of the General

Allegations, Paragraphs 35 through 41 and Paragraphs 42 through 48 and Paragraphs 49 through 55 of  the First, Second and Third Causes of Action as though such have been fully set forth herein.

57.       Plaintiffs allege that a FORGED ASSIGNMENT was recorded in the Official

Records of the Office of the County Recorder for the County of _______________ as Instrument No. _______________.

58.       Plaintiffs seek an Order of the above-entitled court cancelling Instrument No. _______________, in as much as said document contains false information and affects Plaintiffs’ right, title and interest in the Subject Property.

FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION

(Quiet Title As Against All Defendants)

59.       Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate Paragraphs 1 through 35 of the General Allegations, Paragraphs 35 through 41 and Paragraphs 42 through 48 and Paragraphs 49 through 55 of  the First, Second and Third Causes of Action as though such have been fully set forth herein.

60.       For all the facts alleged herein, Plaintiffs seek an Order quieting title as of

_______________.

SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION

(Declaratory Relief As Against All Defendants)

61.       An actual controversy has arisen.

62.       The parties desire a judicial determine that they may ascertain their respective

right, title and interest in the Subject Property.

63.       A judicial determination is necessary that the parties may  right, title and interest in the Subject Property.

64.       Plaintiffs allege that as a regular and ongoing part of the business of Defendant

DOCX was to have persons sitting around a table signing names as quickly as possible, so that

each person executing documents would sign approximately 2,500 documents per day. Although the persons signing the documents claimed to be a vice president of a particular bank of that document, in fact, the party signing the name was not the person named on the document, as such the signature was a forgery, that the name of the person claiming to be a vice president of a particular financial institution was not a “vice president”, did not have any prior training in finance, never worked for the company they allegedly purported to be a vice president of, and were alleged to be a vice president simultaneously with as many as twenty different banks and/or lending institutions, that the actual signatories of the instruments set forth in Paragraph 12 herein, were intended to and were fraudulently notarized by a variety of notaries in the offices of DOCX in Alpharetta, Georgia,  that for all purposes the intent of Defendant DOCX was to intentionally create fraudulent documents, with forged signatures, so that said documents could be recorded in the Offices of County Recorders through the United States of America, knowing that such documents would forgeries, contained false information, and that the recordation of such documents would affect an interest in real property in violation of law, that on or about, May 7, 2007, that they conveyed a first deed of trust (hereinafter “DEED”) in favor of Option One Mortgage, Inc. with an interest of approximately $815,000, that Option One Mortgage sold interest in the aforementioned DEED to unknown parties as a derivative security, who then repeatedly resold their respective interests, if any, in said DEED on at least six different occasions, that pursuant to California Civil Code section 2932.5, an assignee may effectuate the power of sale provided the assignment is properly acknowledged and recorded. Plaintiffs further allege that due to acts and/or omissions of Defendants, and each of them, that none of the named Defendants herein are holders in due course and do not maintain an interest in the Subject Property, including but, not limited to: there are no lawful records connecting Defendants to this property other that Sand Canyon Corporation f/k/a Option One Mortgage Corporation, and the interest of Sand Canyon Corporation f/k/a Option One Mortgage Corporation was long ago sold-off to unrelated third parties for which there is no proper “paper trail” to establish the true holder in due course. Plaintiffs allege that as will be seen hereinafter that Defendants, and each of them, resorted to forged instruments in an attempt to create the appearance that Defendant Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as Trustee of the Soundview Home Loan Trust 2007-OPT2, that due to certain acts and/or omissions once the DEED was “assigned” to various parties the DEED was detrimentally affected in a number ways, including but, not limited to: that the power of sale inherent in the DEED was severed, because the subsequent parties were no longer holders in due course as a matter of law,  that on April 3, 2011, on the national program “60 Minutes”, two former employees of DOCX made admissions which entirely support the allegations set forth in Paragraphs 12 and 13, herein. During said program, former employee, Chris Pendley [sic] stated that he personally drafted the name of “Linda Green” on thousands and thousands of assignments, although he was not Linda Green, that he was signing in excess of 2,500 documents per day, and that he was paid the sum of ten ($10.00) per hour to forge the name of “Linda Green” and that he made no inspection of any documents to determine whether the execution of the assignment was lawful, had no training to make an inspection of documents to determine if the assignment was lawful, and was told by his superiors that his execution of the name Linda Green was lawful, on April 3, 2011, Linda Green, a former employee of DOCX, appeared on the aforementioned “60 Minutes” program and stated that she worked in the mailroom of DOCX and eventually signed some documents, that although she was listed as a vice president of several companies, that she had no connection with those companies, and that she was aware that her signature was being used by several other persons on assignments because her name was short and easy to spell, that Linda Green, acting in her capacity as an employee of DOCX allowed her name to forged upon literally thousands of purported assignments, although Linda Green never executed those assignments, never inspected those assignments, and that DOCX simply listed that Linda Green was a vice president at various Banks and lending institutions, however, Linda Green was not lawfully a vice president, and the assertion that Linda Green was a vice president was an artifice. Plaintiffs further allege that Linda Green’s name fraudulent appeared on documents for the following institutions: 11-11-2004 & 06-22-2006 Vice President, Loan Documentation, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., successor by merger to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc.; 08-11-2008 & 08-14-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 08-27-2008 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing as successor-in-interest to Option One Mortgage Corporation; 09-19-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 09-30-2008; Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 09-30-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 10-08-2009 Vice President & Asst. Secretary, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., as servicer for Ameriquest Mortgage Corporation; 10-16-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 10-17-2008, 11-20-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 11-20-2008 Vice President, Option One Mortgage Corporation; 12-08-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 12-15-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for HLB Mortgage; 12-24-2008 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 12-26-2008 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc.; 01-13-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Family Lending Services, Inc.; 01-15-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 02-03-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Brokers Conduit; 02-05-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for

American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 02-24-2009 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc. as successor-in-interest to Option One Mortgage Corporation;

02-25-2009 Vice President, Bank of America, N.A.; 02-27-2009 Vice President, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., as successor-in-interest to Option One Mortgage Corporation;

03-02-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for American Home Mortgage; 03-04-2009 Vice President, Argent Mortgage Company, LLC by Citi Residential Lending Inc., attorney-in-fact; 03-06-2009 & 03-20-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home

Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 04-15-2009, 04-17-2009, 04-20-2009 Vice President, Bank of America, N.A.; 05-11-2009, 07-06-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 07-14-2009 Vice

President, Bank of America, N.A.; 07-15-2009 Vice President & Asst. Secretary, American

Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., as servicer for Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as trustee for, Ameriquest Mortgage Securities, Inc. asset-backed pass through certificates, series 2004-R7, under the pooling and servicing agreement dated July 1, 2004; 07-30-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home

Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 08-12-2009 Vice President, Sand Canyon Corporation f/k/a Option One Mortgage Corporation; 08-28-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc.; 09-03-2009

Asst. Vice President, Sand Canyon Corporation formerly known as Option One Mortgage

Corporation; 09-03-2009 Asst. Secretary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for American Home Mortgage; 09-04-2009 Asst. Secretary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nominee for American Home Mortgage;

09-08-2009 Vice President, Bank of America, N.A.; 09-21-2009 & 09-22-2009 Vice President, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for American Home Mortgage Acceptance, Inc. Plaintiffs further allege that Linda Green was never lawfully the vice president of any entity, more particularly the foregoing listed entities, that Defendant DOCX was a continuing criminal enterprise whose sole function was to create and forge fraudulent assignments which would purport to convey interests in real property and the entities listed in Paragraph 21 hereinabove, were complicate in Defendants’ fraud, that beginning circa 2007 and continuing until sometime in 2010, DOCX produced thousands upon thousands of false and fraudulent assignments which were recorded in the Offices of the County Recorders of the State of California, and several other States in the United States of America as well, allege that during the “60 Minutes” program on April 3, 2011, another former DOCX employee, Savonna Krite [sic] acted as a notary public and notarized that the signatures of Linda Green and others, were valid, however, she admitted that the notarizations were not that of Linda Green. Savonna Krite [sic] further admitted that she was told by officers of DOCX that it was “alright” for her to notarize signatures as being valid. Savonna Krite [sic] also admitted as of the program that she now understands that her notarizations of said assignments were “not alright,” that because the entire company structure of DOCX was to manufacture forged assignments by the thousands per day, without any consideration whatsoever that the information contained on those assignments was valid, and that the notarizations were in fact fraudulent, that no reasonable expectation can be made that any of the assignments executed by DOCX employees were or are valid, that circa July 2008, Defendants, and each of them, utilized the services of DOCX in order to manufacture a fraudulent assignment from Defendant AMERICAN to WELLS FARGO, because WELLS FARGO could not find documents which would demonstrate that it owned an interest in the Plaintiffs’ subject property, that WELLS FARGO never had a lawful interest in the Plaintiffs’ subject property, either in its own capacity or as that as Trustee for the SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2, that they fully tendered all mortgage payments which were

lawfully due under the DEED, and that they are not in default of their payments, having lawfully

tendered all amounts due and owing, that WELLS FARGO made demands for payment as against the DEED, however, Plaintiffs allege that WELLS FARGO was not a lawful holder in due course, that SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2 was not a lawful holder in due course, and that neither party had any lawful right, title and interest in the DEED, that on or about, _______________, Defendant DOCX at the request of Defendants, and each of them, forged an instrument (hereinafter “FORGED ASSIGNMENT”) with the name “Linda Green” which was notarized by “Ellis Simmons,” that on or about, _______________, an unknown employee of DOCX, in the course and scope of their employment, signed the name “Linda Green” and that such document had a notary stamp placed upon the FORGED ASSIGNMENT which purported to be lawfully notarized by “Ellis Simmons,” that the FORGED ASSIGNMENT was then sent by DOCX through the United States Postal Service or transmitted by facsimile over the telephone and telegraph wires of the United States of America to Defendants, and each of them, in order that such FORGED ASSIGNMENT would be recorded in the Office of the County Recorder of the County of _______________, that on or about _______________, that Defendants, and each of them, their employees and/or agents, caused the FORGED ASSIGNMENT which unlawfully affected Plaintiffs’ subject property to be recorded in the Office of the Country Recorder of the County of _______________ as Instrument No. _______________. A true and correct copy of the assignment set forth in Paragraphs 30 – 31, is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and is incorporated by this reference, that the sole claim of Defendants, and each of them, as to their right, title and/or interest in the Plaintiffs’ Subject Property is the  FORGED ASSIGNMENT, that the FORGED ASSIGNMENT as a matter of law is void and that it did not constitute a conveyance of an interest to Defendants, or to anyone at all, and that the FORGED ASSIGNMENT is a legal nullity, that Defendants, and each of them, are presently relying upon the FORGED ASSIGNMENT and are knowingly and intentionally prosecuting a non-judicial foreclosure based solely upon the recordation of the FORGED ASSIGNMENT, necessitating the instant action, and as such, the Defendants set forth herein have no right, title and interest in the Subject Property, whereas, Defendants contend that all of their acts and/or omissions were lawful and that Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as Trustee of the Soundview Home Loan Trust 2007-OPT2.

WHEREAS, Plaintiffs Manuel A Madrid and Virginia J. Madrid pray for Judgment as follows:

FOR THE FIRST AND THIRD CAUSES OF ACTION:

1.         For an Order, restraining Defendants, and their agents, employees, officers, attorneys, and representatives from engaging in or performing any of the following acts: (i) proceeding with the non-judicial foreclosure without an Order of this court, (ii) offering, or advertising this property for sale and (ii) attempting to transfer title to this property and or (iii) holding any auction therefore;

2.         For general damages subject to proof at time of trial;

3.         For special damages subject to proof at time of trial;

4.         For punitive damages subject to proof at time of trial;

5.         For costs of suit herein;

6.         For reasonable attorney’s fees provided by contract or statute; and

7.         For such other and further relief as the court may deem just and proper.

FOR THE SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION:

1.         For general damages according to proof at time of trial;

2.         For special damages according to proof at time of trial;

3.         For costs of suit incurred herein;

4.         For reasonable attorney’s fees provided by contract or statute; and

5.         For such other and further relief as the court may deem just and proper.

FOR THE FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION:

1.         For an Order cancelling Instrument No. _______________, which was recorded on August in the

Office of the Country Recorder of the County of _______________;

2.         For costs of suit incurred herein;

3.         For reasonable attorney’s fees as provided by contract or statute; and

4.         For such other and further relief as the court may deem just and proper.

FOR THE FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION:

1.         For an Order quieting title to the Subject Property from _______________;

2.         For costs of suit incurred herein;

3.         For reasonable attorney’s fees subject to proof at time of trial; and

4.         For such other and further relief as the court may deem just and proper.

FOR THE SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION:

1.         For a declaration that Defendants do not have a right, title and interest in the Subject Property;

2.         For costs of suit incurred herein;

3.         For reasonable attorney’s fees subject to proof at time of trial; and

4.         For such other and further relief as the court may deem just and proper.

Dated:  _______, 2011                                                LAW OFFICES OF

                                                                                    TIMOTHY L. MCCANDLESS

 

 

 

                                                                                    __________________________________

                                                                                          Timothy L. McCandless, Esq.,

Attorney for Plaintiffs

VERIFICATION

I, Timothy L. McCandless am the attorney of record for Plaintiffs in the above-entitled action. The Plaintiffs are either absent from the County of Los Angeles where my office is located, or is otherwise unable to verify this complaint, or the facts are within the knowledge of the undersigned. For this reason, I am making this verification.

I have read the foregoing Complaint and know of its contents. I am informed and believe the matters therein to be true, and on that ground, allege that the matters stated in it are true.  I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct and that this declaration was executed at San Bernardino, California

DATED: __________, 2011

         ____________________________

                         Timothy L. McCandless, Esq.

THE GREAT SECURITIZATION SCAM AND THE GREAT RECESSION

By Neil Garfield

 

            Both the class action lawyers and the AG offices are looking for settlements that will cure the “foreclosure” problem. This is based upon the perceived benefit of getting the foreclosures either litigated or settled, SO THE “MARKET” CAN RESUME “FORWARD” MOTION. But what if the basic transaction was so defective as to be incapable of understanding, much less enforcement?  We ignore the fact that the basic transaction was a lie, that lies are not enforceable and while they could be modified by agreement into enforceable written instruments (completely absent from the current landscape) the inescapable fact is that in order to do so, you will need the signature of borrowers on loans that are based upon fair market values, reality and set-off for the damages inflicted on the homeowners by the Great Securitization Scam.

 

            So we start with the myth that there was a valid legal contract at origination, an assumption that upon examination by a paralegal, much less a first-year law student, is patently untrue.  Thus we proceed with the following ten (10) lies that form the foundation of our impotent financial and economic policies in the Great Recession triggered by the housing crisis:

  1. 1.       VALID MORTGAGE TRANSACTION: There was a loan of money, but not by either the payee, the mortgagee, the trustee or anyone else that is mentioned in the closing papers or the foreclosure papers filed anywhere. That is why the pretenders would rather play with the word “holder” than “creditor.”
  1. 2.       LEGAL MORTGAGE TRANSACTION: Even if the right parties were at the table, the transaction was illegal because of appraisal fraud, underwriting fraud, Securities Fraud and Servicing Fraud.
  1. 3.       LEGAL LOAN: Even if the right parties were at two different tables, the transaction was illegal because of ratings fraud, securities fraud, common law fraud, predatory loan practices and servicing fraud.
  1. 4.       KNOWN CREDITOR: Neither the investor who was the source of funds, nor the investment banker who only committed SOME of those funds to loan transactions, nor the borrower (homeowner) even knew of the existence of each other. After the “reconstituted” bogus mortgage pools that never existed in the first place, payments by insurance, credit de fault swaps, and federal  bailouts, it is at the very least a question of fact to determine the identity of the creditor at any given point in time — i.e., to whom is an obligation owed and how many parties have liability to pay on that transaction either as borrower, guarantors, insurers, or anything else? The dart board approach currently used in foreclosures and mortgage modifications, prepayments and refinancing has generally been frowned upon by the Courts.
  1. 5.       KNOWN OBLIGATION AMOUNT: The amount advanced by the Lender (investor in bogus mortgage bonds) was far in excess of that amount used by intermediaries to fund mortgages — the rest was used to create synthetic derivative trading devices and charge fees every step of the way. Part of the difference between the funding of the residential loans and the amount advanced by the lender (investor) is easily computed by applying the same formula used to compute a yield spread premium that was paid to mortgage brokers under the table. By obscuring the real nature of the loans in the mix that offered (sold forward without ownership by the investment bank with the intent of acquiring he mortgages later) a 6% return promised to an investor could result in a yield spread premium of perhaps 12% if the loan was toxic waste and the nominal rate was 18%. Thus a $900,000 investment was converted into a $300,000 loan with no hope of repayment based upon a wildly inflated appraisal. Payments by servicers, counterparties, guarantors, insurers and bailout agencies were neither credited to the investor nor to the obligation owed to that investor. Since there was no obligor other than the homeowner according to the documents creating the securitization scam infrastructure, the borrower was part of a transaction where he “borrowed” $900,000 but only received $300,000. Third party payments made under expressly and carefully written waivers of subrogation were not applied to the amount owed to the investor and therefore not applied to the amount owed by the borrower. The absence of this information makes the servicer “accounting” a farce.
  1. VALID ACCOUNTING BY ALL PARTIES: Continuing with the facts illuminated in the preceding paragraph, both mortgage closing documents and foreclosure documents are devoid of any reference to the dozens of transactions carried out in the name of, or under agency of, or as constructive trustee of the investor who as lender is obliged to account for the balance due after third party payments.

How To Handle Bank of America Loan Modification Denials

April 30, 2011 by Filed under Loan modification advice Leave a comment One of the most tough financial institutions to deal with, it seems, when it comes to Loan Modification is Bank of America, here is the experience of successful mortgage owners when dealing with Bank of America: “For the last year I have been working with a good friend of mine in order to get her Bank of America first mortgage modified. And they finally approved the modification. Payments are going from around $1800 to $1300. To make a long story short, your income, how much you owe and other factors doesn’t determine whether you get a modification or not. Persistance is key with dealing with these people. Another thing key is putting pressure on the bank, through complaints, repeated phone calls and letters. You have to realize that Bank of America really doesn’t want to approve any modificiations, at least in California and most of the ones they do approve are completely inadequate. So it requires a lot in order to get them to approve an adequate one.” Here is Another advice: “You are going to have to play very hard ball with Bank of America. Be prepared for to call them at least twice a week for some months. The loan modification for my friend took a year. Never take no for an answer from B of A. Continue to pressure the bank and you will achieve victory. Start by calling the office of the CEO. The phone number is 704-386-5687 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 704-386-5687 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. If that number is busy, you can call the numbers for Bank of America headquarters. The number is 704-386-5972 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 704-386-5972 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. When you get the operator, you ask for the office of the CEO. When you get someone on the phone, explain that you need someone to help you modify the mortgage and nobody else was willing to work with you. You have been a customer with the bank for a long time and really want to work with them, but in all honesty, you are facing financial issues and you don’t want to be forced to file for bankruptcy. You also have to explain that you want to stay in your home but you need a heavy reduction in the payment, at least 50%. I know that they most likely aren’t going to give that to you, but you have to propose something. They will transfer you to a manager who should start the ball rolling. However, even with a manager helping you, it is best, at the same time to reach out to government officials and agencies so that they can apply pressure on Bank of America. You should start by reaching out to your senator and congressperson about this situation. Write them letters and request assistance. Also file a complaint on Bank of America with the OCC, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency which is the regulator of Bank of America. One tactic which I used while helping my friend is in addition to filling a complaint myself, I reached out to one of the aide’s to her congressman. I got that person to complain to the OCC about Bank of America and our situation. Drumming up external pressure on this bank is KEY. As I said before, they do not want to help you or any homeowner but if you generate enough pressure through complaints they will eventually act. But be prepared for a battle.” For those who are finding hard to get loan modification from Bank of America, try to implement these strategies, and best of luck.

20 MILLION DOLLAR JUDGEMENT wrongful foreclosure

Coldwell Banker Mortgage messes with the wrong Soldier and gets SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES WITH 20 MILLION DOLLAR JUDGEMENT.

OUCH – BANKS MESSES WITH SOLDIER AND LOSES AT TRIAL!  CAN’T A SOLDIER GET A LITTLE RESPECT HERE?

THE CASE IS 4:09-CV-00146-CDL, FILED IN UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT IN GEORGIA.  ATTORNEY (WINNER) IS CHARLIE GOWER.  CASE FILED 12/1/09.

FINAL VERDICT: 1,000,000 IN EMOTIONAL DISTRESS DAMAGES / $350,000 IN ATTORNEY FEES / $20,000,000 IN PUNITIVE DAMAGES (WOW).

CAUSES OF ACTION ALLEGED (AND SUCCESSFULLY PROVEN): 1. RESPA 2. BREACH OF CONTRACT AND 3. NEGLIGENCE

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Military.com reports a 20 million dollar SHOT TO THE HEART of PHH Mortgage for imporperly messing with Soldier’s Credit Report.

Another amazing tale of lender arrogance and failure to follow the law.  This time, the culprit is PHH Mortgage (DBA Coldwell Banker Mortgage).  The story is old, common, typical and simple to understand.  Soldier buys a house and gets hooked up on automatic payment system.  Payments are kept current.  Later, lender claims payments are late, and soldier is forced to clear up his name and to try to contact the servicer to fix the error.  Of course, there is little help offered and lots of hold time with customer servicer.  Eventually, negative credit is reported against the soldier.  Amazing?  Yeah.

So after several go-rounds to fix the problem, the guy gets tired of it, hires a lawyer, and files a lawsuit.  Lender of course is arrogant, denies all wrongdoing and takes the case to jury trial.  End result – Verdict for Plaintiff, and 20 million dollar punitive damage award against Coldwell Banker.  When will these companies get it right and start treating people like human beings?

Just another tale from the foreclosure pit.

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Foreclosure Trustee duties and obligations

Because of the significant increase in defaults and foreclosures, mortgage servicers need to understand the duties and liabilities the law imposes upon foreclosure trustees.

Litigation based upon trustee error can slow, stop or invalidate foreclosures and impair the servicer’s ability to dispose of properties following foreclosure. When borrowers refinance or pay off during foreclosure, trustees are often responsible for the payoffs and reconveyances. After foreclosure, the trustee is responsible for distribution of surplus funds – the funds in excess of the debt due under the foreclosed deed of trust. All these responsibilities are sources of claims against trustees.

Foreclosure litigation plaintiffs often name and seek to hold lenders and servicers responsible for trustee errors on the theory that the trustee is the agent of the lender and servicer. According to Miller & Starr’s “California Real Estate,” this claim is particularly easy to make when the lender or servicer uses an in-house trustee and especially when the trustee acquires the property by credit bid for the lender or servicer at its own foreclosure sale. This article examines a trustee’s liability for damages under California law for conduct of the foreclosure sale, payoffs, reconveyances and distribution of surplus funds. The scope of a trustee’s duties differs for each of these services, and a breach of one of these duties can subject the trustee, lender and servicer to substantial compensatory damages, punitive damages and even criminal sanctions. Foreclosure sales In the I.E. Associates v. Safeco case, the California Supreme Court limited the scope of the trustee’s duties in conducting foreclosure sales. The issue in that case was whether a trustee breached its duty to a trustor by failing to ascertain the current address of the trustor where the current address was different from the address of record. The trustee did not have actual knowledge of the current address, but through reasonable diligence could have discovered it. The Supreme Court held that the trustee did not have a duty to find the current address. The court found that a foreclosure trustee is not a true trustee, such as a trustee of a person or a trustee under a trust agreement. Instead, a foreclosure trustee is merely “a middleman” between the beneficiary and the trustor who only carries out the specific duties that the deed of trust and foreclosure law specifically impose upon it.

The deed of trust and the statute are the exclusive source of the rights, duties and liabilities governing notice of nonjudicial foreclosure sales. Because neither the deed of trust nor the statute required the trustee to search for an address it did not have, the court held that the trustee had no duty to do so. The Stephens v. Hollis case reiterated the rule that a foreclosure trustee is not a true trustee: “Just as a panda is not an ordinary bear, a trustee of a deed of trust is not an ordinary trustee. ‘A trustee under a deed of trust has neither the powers nor the obligations of a strict trustee. He serves as a kind of common agent for the parties.’”

It is critical to recognize, however, that these rules of limited duty only apply to the trustee’s duty to provide proper notice of the sale. The trustee also has a broad common law duty to conduct a sale that is fair in all respects. In Hatch v. Collins, the court noted that “A trustee has a general duty to conduct the sale ‘fairly, openly, reasonably and with due diligence,’ exercising sound discretion to protect the rights of the mortgagor and others…A breach of the trustee’s duty to conduct an open, fair and honest sale may give rise to a cause of action for professional negligence, breach of an obligation created by statute, or fraud.” Examples of such a breach could be conspiring to “chill the bidding” by overstating the debt, thereby dissuading others from appearing and bidding at the sale. California Civil Code Section 2924h(g) states that it is “unlawful for any person, acting alone or in concert with others, (1) to offer to accept or accept from another any consideration of any type not to bid, or (2) to fix or restrain bidding in any manner at a sale of property conducted pursuant to a power of sale in a deed of trust or mortgage.” The code continues: “In addition to any other remedies, any person committing any act declared unlawful by this subdivision or any act which would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any beneficiary, trustor or junior [lien holder] shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than one year, or be punished by both that fine and imprisonment.” In addition to imposing criminal penalties, this section also imposes civil liability upon the trustee.

The courts will review foreclosure sale proceedings to make sure they have been fair in all respects. A trustee who violates its contractual duties under the deed of trust or its statutory or common law duties is liable to the trustor or to an affected junior lien holder for such person’s lost equity in the property. This is measured by the difference between the fair market value of the property and the liens senior to the affected person’s interest at the time of the sale. In addition, pursuant to Civil Code Section 3333, the trustee has liability for all other damages proximately caused by its wrongful conduct, whether those damages were foreseeable or not. A willful violation of these duties can subject the trustee to punitive damages under Civil Code Section 3294. Payoffs and reconveyances Civil Code Section 2943(c) requires a beneficiary or its representative, which is frequently the trustee, to provide a payoff statement to an “entitled person” within 21 days after a written request for a payoff demand. An “entitled person” means the trustor, a junior lien holder, their successors or assigns, or an escrow. Failure to provide a timely payoff demand makes the beneficiary or its representative liable to the entitled person for all actual damages such a person may sustain due to a failure to provide a timely payoff demand, plus $300 in statutory damages. Failure to provide an accurate payoff demand can have dire consequences. If the entitled person closes a sale or refinance in reliance upon a payoff demand that understates the payoff, the beneficiary must reconvey its lien. The beneficiary is then left with only an unsecured claim against the entitled person. A trustee who is responsible for such an error could have substantial liability to its beneficiary. After the note and deed of trust are paid off, Civil Code Section 2941 requires the beneficiary to deliver the original note, the deed of trust and a request for reconveyance to the trustee. Within 21 days thereafter, the trustee must record the reconveyance and deliver the original note to the trustor. If the reconveyance has not been recorded within 60 days after the payoff, upon the trustee’s written request, the beneficiary must substitute himself as trustee and record the reconveyance. If the reconveyance is not recorded within 75 days after payoff, any title company may prepare and record a release of the obligation. A person who violates any of these provisions is liable for $500 in statutory damages and all actual damages caused by the violation. These can include damages for emotional distress. A willful violation of these requirements is a misdemeanor which can subject the violator to a $400 fine, plus six months’ imprisonment in the county jail. Surplus funds Civil Code Sections 2924j and 2924k impose upon the trustee a duty to distribute surplus funds that the trustee receives at a sale to lien holders and trustors whose interests are junior to the foreclosed deed of trust. Surplus funds are defined as funds in excess of the debt due to the holder of the foreclosed lien and the costs of the foreclosure sale. As previously referenced in the I. E. Associates and Stephens cases, those courts held that with respect to the conduct of the foreclosure sale, a foreclosure trustee is not a true trustee – only a middleman. Further, in Hatch v. Collins, the court held that a breach of the trustee’s duties in the conduct of the sale does not constitute a breach of a fiduciary duty. While no case holds that a trustee is a fiduciary with respect to surplus funds, a trustee’s surplus funds duties closely resemble those of a fiduciary – a fiduciary is one who holds and manages property for the benefit of another. Fiduciaries are held to a higher standard of care than others in discharging their duties. If a trustee has a fiduciary duty in handling surplus funds, a trustee may have a duty to do more than simply follow the statute with respect to giving notice of and distributing the surplus funds. For instance, a trustee may have a duty to take reasonable steps to find an interested party whose address is unknown to the trustee if the trustee has reason to believe such an address can be found. This is particularly so because the trustee can pay for the expense of the investigation from the surplus funds. Also, a trustee as a fiduciary may face greater exposure to punitive damages, which can be awarded for breach of fiduciary duty when coupled with fraud, malice or oppression. Servicers Using In-House Foreclosure Trustees Must Beware in Mortgage Servicing > Foreclosure by John Clark Brown Jr. on Tuesday 19 June 2007 email the content item print the content item comments: 0 Servicing Management, June 2007. Because of the significant increase in defaults and foreclosures, mortgage servicers need to understand the duties and liabilities the law imposes upon foreclosure trustees. Litigation based upon trustee error can slow, stop or invalidate foreclosures and impair the servicer’s ability to dispose of properties following foreclosure. When borrowers refinance or pay off during foreclosure, trustees are often responsible for the payoffs and reconveyances. After foreclosure, the trustee is responsible for distribution of surplus funds – the funds in excess of the debt due under the foreclosed deed of trust. All these responsibilities are sources of claims against trustees. Foreclosure litigation plaintiffs often name and seek to hold lenders and servicers responsible for trustee errors on the theory that the trustee is the agent of the lender and servicer. According to Miller & Starr’s “California Real Estate,” this claim is particularly easy to make when the lender or servicer uses an in-house trustee and especially when the trustee acquires the property by credit bid for the lender or servicer at its own foreclosure sale. This article examines a trustee’s liability for damages under California law for conduct of the foreclosure sale, payoffs, reconveyances and distribution of surplus funds. The scope of a trustee’s duties differs for each of these services, and a breach of one of these duties can subject the trustee, lender and servicer to substantial compensatory damages, punitive damages and even criminal sanctions. Foreclosure sales In the I.E. Associates v. Safeco case, the California Supreme Court limited the scope of the trustee’s duties in conducting foreclosure sales. The issue in that case was whether a trustee breached its duty to a trustor by failing to ascertain the current address of the trustor where the current address was different from the address of record. The trustee did not have actual knowledge of the current address, but through reasonable diligence could have discovered it. The Supreme Court held that the trustee did not have a duty to find the current address. The court found that a foreclosure trustee is not a true trustee, such as a trustee of a person or a trustee under a trust agreement. Instead, a foreclosure trustee is merely “a middleman” between the beneficiary and the trustor who only carries out the specific duties that the deed of trust and foreclosure law specifically impose upon it. The deed of trust and the statute are the exclusive source of the rights, duties and liabilities governing notice of nonjudicial foreclosure sales. Because neither the deed of trust nor the statute required the trustee to search for an address it did not have, the court held that the trustee had no duty to do so. The Stephens v. Hollis case reiterated the rule that a foreclosure trustee is not a true trustee: “Just as a panda is not an ordinary bear, a trustee of a deed of trust is not an ordinary trustee. ‘A trustee under a deed of trust has neither the powers nor the obligations of a strict trustee. He serves as a kind of common agent for the parties.’” It is critical to recognize, however, that these rules of limited duty only apply to the trustee’s duty to provide proper notice of the sale. The trustee also has a broad common law duty to conduct a sale that is fair in all respects. In Hatch v. Collins, the court noted that “A trustee has a general duty to conduct the sale ‘fairly, openly, reasonably and with due diligence,’ exercising sound discretion to protect the rights of the mortgagor and others…A breach of the trustee’s duty to conduct an open, fair and honest sale may give rise to a cause of action for professional negligence, breach of an obligation created by statute, or fraud.” Examples of such a breach could be conspiring to “chill the bidding” by overstating the debt, thereby dissuading others from appearing and bidding at the sale. California Civil Code Section 2924h(g) states that it is “unlawful for any person, acting alone or in concert with others, (1) to offer to accept or accept from another any consideration of any type not to bid, or (2) to fix or restrain bidding in any manner at a sale of property conducted pursuant to a power of sale in a deed of trust or mortgage.” The code continues: “In addition to any other remedies, any person committing any act declared unlawful by this subdivision or any act which would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any beneficiary, trustor or junior [lien holder] shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than one year, or be punished by both that fine and imprisonment.” In addition to imposing criminal penalties, this section also imposes civil liability upon the trustee. The courts will review foreclosure sale proceedings to make sure they have been fair in all respects. A trustee who violates its contractual duties under the deed of trust or its statutory or common law duties is liable to the trustor or to an affected junior lien holder for such person’s lost equity in the property. This is measured by the difference between the fair market value of the property and the liens senior to the affected person’s interest at the time of the sale. In addition, pursuant to Civil Code Section 3333, the trustee has liability for all other damages proximately caused by its wrongful conduct, whether those damages were foreseeable or not. A willful violation of these duties can subject the trustee to punitive damages under Civil Code Section 3294. Payoffs and reconveyances Civil Code Section 2943(c) requires a beneficiary or its representative, which is frequently the trustee, to provide a payoff statement to an “entitled person” within 21 days after a written request for a payoff demand. An “entitled person” means the trustor, a junior lien holder, their successors or assigns, or an escrow. Failure to provide a timely payoff demand makes the beneficiary or its representative liable to the entitled person for all actual damages such a person may sustain due to a failure to provide a timely payoff demand, plus $300 in statutory damages. Failure to provide an accurate payoff demand can have dire consequences. If the entitled person closes a sale or refinance in reliance upon a payoff demand that understates the payoff, the beneficiary must reconvey its lien. The beneficiary is then left with only an unsecured claim against the entitled person. A trustee who is responsible for such an error could have substantial liability to its beneficiary. After the note and deed of trust are paid off, Civil Code Section 2941 requires the beneficiary to deliver the original note, the deed of trust and a request for reconveyance to the trustee. Within 21 days thereafter, the trustee must record the reconveyance and deliver the original note to the trustor. If the reconveyance has not been recorded within 60 days after the payoff, upon the trustee’s written request, the beneficiary must substitute himself as trustee and record the reconveyance. If the reconveyance is not recorded within 75 days after payoff, any title company may prepare and record a release of the obligation. A person who violates any of these provisions is liable for $500 in statutory damages and all actual damages caused by the violation. These can include damages for emotional distress. A willful violation of these requirements is a misdemeanor which can subject the violator to a $400 fine, plus six months’ imprisonment in the county jail. Surplus funds Civil Code Sections 2924j and 2924k impose upon the trustee a duty to distribute surplus funds that the trustee receives at a sale to lien holders and trustors whose interests are junior to the foreclosed deed of trust. Surplus funds are defined as funds in excess of the debt due to the holder of the foreclosed lien and the costs of the foreclosure sale. As previously referenced in the I. E. Associates and Stephens cases, those courts held that with respect to the conduct of the foreclosure sale, a foreclosure trustee is not a true trustee – only a middleman. Further, in Hatch v. Collins, the court held that a breach of the trustee’s duties in the conduct of the sale does not constitute a breach of a fiduciary duty. While no case holds that a trustee is a fiduciary with respect to surplus funds, a trustee’s surplus funds duties closely resemble those of a fiduciary – a fiduciary is one who holds and manages property for the benefit of another. Fiduciaries are held to a higher standard of care than others in discharging their duties. If a trustee has a fiduciary duty in handling surplus funds, a trustee may have a duty to do more than simply follow the statute with respect to giving notice of and distributing the surplus funds. For instance, a trustee may have a duty to take reasonable steps to find an interested party whose address is unknown to the trustee if the trustee has reason to believe such an address can be found. This is particularly so because the trustee can pay for the expense of the investigation from the surplus funds. Also, a trustee as a fiduciary may face greater exposure to punitive damages, which can be awarded for breach of fiduciary duty when coupled with fraud, malice or oppression.

California Eviction Judgment Cures a Wrongful Foreclosure

March 31, 2011 Posted In: Mortgage

By Law Office of James J. Falcone on March 31, 2011 9:50 PM | Permalink

In a recent court decision homeowners in Los Angeles were foreclosed. The foreclosing lender then filed an eviction action (unlawful detainer); the former owners stipulated the eviction judgment. The Homeowners filed suit for wrongful foreclosure.

The claim was that a Notice of Default was recorded on behalf of ‘Option One’ as beneficiary, but there was no substitution showing that Option One was the new beneficiary of record, and the foreclosure was conducted on behalf a trustee for which there was no substitution recorded.

The court dismissed the homeowners lawsuit. The court found that no substitution showing Option One as the new beneficiary of record with the statutory authority to designate a substituted trustee. The beneficiary of record remained Home Loans USA, Inc., the original beneficiary and lender to plaintiff in her refinance transaction. But even so, the eviction judgment which the homeowners stipulated to was res judicata as to plaintiffs’ claims in this action which all arise from the alleged invalidity of the foreclosure sale- they essentially agreed that it was already determined that there were no defects in the foreclosure, and that the lender had good title with which to evict them. “Res Judicata” means that the issue was already determined by a court.

The court stated “By stipulating to judgment against them, plaintiffs conceded the validity of Wells Fargo’s allegations that the sale had been duly conducted and operated to transfer “duly perfected” legal title to the property.”

Unlawful Detainer is a quick proceeding, and the trial seldom gets 30 minutes of court time. This decision will encourage sophisticated foreclosing lenders to move to eviction quickly to cut off claims of wrongful foreclosure, and sophisticated homeowners to hire a real estate attorney to represent them. It is nearly impossible to prove defects in the foreclosure at an eviction trial, and the owner must file their own suit and obtain an injunction from it going forward while they litigate the foreclosure.

Recording false documents ? and getting the house, the insurence, the tarp, the fdic guarentee, and whatever else the American taxpayer will give the pretender lender

Recently, many California Courts have been dismissing lawsuits filed to stop non-judicial foreclosures, ruling that the non-judicial foreclosure statutes occupy the field and are exclusive as long as they are complied with.  Thus, in the case where a notice of default is recorded and a lawsuit then filed in response to stop the foreclosure since the foreclosing party does not possess the underlying note, all too often the Court will simply dismiss the case and claim “2924 has no requirement to produce the note.”

Thus, these Courts view the statutes that regulate non-judicial foreclosures as all inclusive of all the requirements and remedies in foreclosure proceedings.  Indeed, California Civil Code sections 2924 through 2924k provide a comprehensive framework for the regulation of a nonjudicial foreclosure sale pursuant to a power of sale contained in a deed of trust. This comprehensive statutory scheme has three purposes: ‘“(1) to provide the creditor/beneficiary with a quick, inexpensive and efficient remedy against a defaulting debtor/trustor; (2) to protect the debtor/trustor from wrongful loss of the property; and (3) to ensure that a properly conducted sale is final between the parties and conclusive as to a bona fide purchaser.” [Citations.]’ [Citation.]” (Melendrez v. D & I Investment, Inc. (2005) 127 Cal.App.4th 1238, 1249–1250 [26 Cal. Rptr. 3d 413].)

Notwithstanding, the foreclosure statutes are not exclusive.  If someone commits murder during an auction taking place under Civil Code 2924, that does not automatically mean they are immune from criminal and civil liability.  Perhaps this is where some of these courts are “missing the boat.”

For example, in Alliance Mortgage Co. v. Rothwell (1995) 10 Cal. 4th 1226, 1231 [44 Cal. Rptr. 2d 352, 900 P.2d 601], the California Supreme Court concluded that a lender who obtained the property with a full credit bid at a foreclosure sale was not precluded from suing a third party who had fraudulently induced it to make the loan. The court concluded that “ ‘the antideficiency laws were not intended to immunize wrongdoers from the consequences of their fraudulent acts’ ” and that, if the court applies a proper measure of damages, “ ‘fraud suits do not frustrate the antideficiency policies because there should be no double recovery for the beneficiary.’ ” (Id. at p. 1238.)

Likewise, in South Bay Building Enterprises, Inc. v. Riviera Lend-Lease, Inc. [*1071]  (1999) 72 Cal.App.4th 1111, 1121 [85 Cal. Rptr. 2d 647], the court held that a junior lienor retains the right to recover damages from the trustee and the beneficiary of the foreclosing lien if there have been material irregularities in the conduct of the foreclosure sale. (See also Melendrez v. D & I Investment, Inc., supra, 127 Cal.App.4th at pp. 1257–1258; Lo v. Jensen (2001) 88 Cal.App.4th 1093, 1095 [106 Cal. Rptr. 2d 443] [a trustee’s sale tainted by fraud may be set aside].)

In looking past the comprehensive statutory framework, these other Courts also considered the policies advanced by the statutory scheme, and whether those policies would be frustrated by other laws.  Recently, in the case of California Golf, L.L.C. v. Cooper, 163 Cal. App. 4th 1053, 78 Cal. Rptr. 3d 153, 2008 Cal. App. LEXIS 850 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2008), the Appellate Court held that the remedies of 2924h were not exclusive.  Of greater importance is that the Appellate Court reversed the lower court and specifically held that provisions in UCC Article 3 were allowed in the foreclosure context:

Considering the policy interests advanced by the statutory scheme governing nonjudicial foreclosure sales, and the policy interests advanced by Commercial Code section 3312, it is clear that allowing a remedy under the latter does not undermine the former. Indeed, the two remedies are complementary and advance the same goals. The first two goals of the nonjudicial foreclosure statutes: (1) to provide the creditor/beneficiary with a quick, inexpensive and efficient remedy against a defaulting debtor/trustor and (2) to protect the debtor/trustor from a wrongful loss of the property, are not impacted by the decision that we reach. This case most certainly, however, involves the third policy interest: to ensure that a properly conducted sale is final between the parties and conclusive as to a bona fide purchaser.

This is very significant since it provides further support to lawsuits brought against foreclosing parties lacking the ability toenforce the underlying note, since those laws also arise under Article 3.  Under California Commercial Code 3301, a note may only be enforced if one has actual possession of the note as a holder, or has possession of the note not as a non-holder but with holder rights.

Just like in California Golf, enforcing 3301 operates to protect the debtor/trustor from a wrongful loss of the property.  To the extent that a foreclosing party might argue that such lawsuits disrupt a quick, inexpensive, and efficient remedy against a defaulting debtor/trustor, the response is that “since there is no enforceable obligation,  the foreclosing entity is not a party/creditor/beneficiary entitled to a quick, inexpensive, and efficient remedy,” but simply a declarant that recorded false documents.

This is primarily because being entitled to foreclose non-judicially under 2924 can only take place “after a breach of the obligation for which that mortgage or transfer is a security.”   Thus, 2924 by its own terms, looks outside of the statute to the actual obligation to see if there was a breach, and if the note is unenforceable under Article 3, there can simply be no breach.  End of story.

Accordingly, if there is no possession of the note or possession was not obtained until after the notice of sale was recorded, it is impossible to trigger 2924, and simple compliance with the notice requirements in 2924 does not suddenly bless the felony of grand theft of the unknown foreclosing entity.  To hold otherwise would create absurd results since it would allow any person or company the right to take another persons’ home by simply recording a false notice of default and notice of sale.

Indeed, such absurdity would allow you to foreclose on your own home again to get it back should you simply record the same false documents.  Thus it is obvious that these courts improperly assume the allegations contained in the notice of default and notice of sale are truthful.   Perhaps these courts simply cannot or choose not to believe such frauds are taking place due to the magnitude and volume of foreclosures in this Country at this time.  One can only image the chaos that would ensue in America if the truth is known that millions of foreclosures took place unlawfully and millions more are now on hold as a result of not having the ability to enforce the underlying obligation pursuant to Article 3.

So if you are in litigation to stop a foreclosure, you can probably expect the Court will want to immediately dismiss your case.  These Courts just cannot understand how the law would allow someone to stay in a home without paying.  Notwithstanding, laws cannot be broken, and Courts are not allowed to join with the foreclosing parties in breaking laws simply because “not paying doesn’t seem right.”

Accordingly, at least for appeal purposes, be sure to argue that 2924 was never triggered since there was never any “breach of the obligation” and that Appellate Courts throughout California have routinely held that other laws do in fact apply in the non-judicial foreclosure process since the policies advanced by the statutory non-judicial foreclosure scheme are not frustrated by these other laws. The recent exposure and discovery of Robosigners and notary fraud has added another dimension to the “exclusive 2924 argument as seen in the 22/20 special aired April 3, 2011.

Scott Pelley reports how problems with mortgage documents are prompting lawsuits and could slow down the weak housing market

  • Play CBS Video Video The next housing shockAs more and more Americans face mortgage foreclosure, banks’ crucial ownership documents for the properties are often unclear and are sometimes even bogus, a condition that’s causing lawsuits and hampering an already weak housing market. Scott Pelley reports.
  • Video Extra: Eviction reprieveFlorida residents AJ and Brenda Boyd spent more than a year trying to renegotiate their mortgage and save their home. At the last moment, questions about who owns their mortgage saved them from eviction.
  • Video Extra: “Save the Dream” eventsBruce Marks, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America talks to Scott Pelley about his “Save the Dream” events and how foreclosures are causing a crisis in America.
(CBS News)If there was a question about whether we’re headed for a second housing shock, that was settled last week with news that home prices have fallen a sixth consecutive month. Values are nearly back to levels of the Great Recession. One thing weighing on the economy is the huge number of foreclosed houses.Many are stuck on the market for a reason you wouldn’t expect: banks can’t find the ownership documents.Who really owns your mortgage?
Scott Pelley explains a bizarre aftershock of the U.S. financial collapse: An epidemic of forged and missing mortgage documents.It’s bizarre but, it turns out, Wall Street cut corners when it created those mortgage-backed investments that triggered the financial collapse. Now that banks want to evict people, they’re unwinding these exotic investments to find, that often, the legal documents behind the mortgages aren’t there. Caught in a jam of their own making, some companies appear to be resorting to forgery and phony paperwork to throw people – down on their luck – out of their homes.In the 1930s we had breadlines; venture out before dawn in America today and you’ll find mortgage lines. This past January in Los Angeles, 37,000 homeowners facing foreclosure showed up to an event to beg their bank for lower payments on their mortgage. Some people even slept on the sidewalk to get in line.So many in the country are desperate now that they have to meet in convention centers coast to coast.In February in Miami, 12,000 people showed up to a similar event. The line went down the block and doubled back twice.

Video: The next housing shock
Extra: Eviction reprieve
Extra: “Save the Dream” events

Dale DeFreitas lost her job and now fears her home is next. “It’s very emotional because I just think about it. I don’t wanna lose my home. I really don’t,” she told “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley.

“It’s your American dream,” he remarked.

“It was. And still is,” she replied.

These convention center events are put on by the non-profit Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, which helps people figure what they can afford, and then walks them across the hall to bank representatives to ask for lower payments. More than half will get their mortgages adjusted, but the rest discover that they just can’t keep their home.

For many that’s when the real surprise comes in: these same banks have fouled up all of their own paperwork to a historic degree.

“In my mind this is an absolute, intentional fraud,” Lynn Szymoniak, who is fighting foreclosure, told Pelley.

While trying to save her house, she discovered something we did not know: back when Wall Street was using algorithms and computers to engineer those disastrous mortgage-backed securities, it appears they didn’t want old fashioned paperwork slowing down the profits.

“This was back when it was a white hot fevered pitch to move as many of these as possible,” Pelley remarked.

“Exactly. When you could make a whole lotta money through securitization. And every other aspect of it could be done electronically, you know, key strokes. This was the only piece where somebody was supposed to actually go get documents, transfer the documents from one entity to the other. And it looks very much like they just eliminated that stuff all together,” Szymoniak said.

Szymoniak’s mortgage had been bundled with thousands of others into one of those Wall Street securities traded from investor to investor. When the bank took her to court, it first said it had lost her documents, including the critical assignment of mortgage which transfers ownership. But then, there was a courthouse surprise.

“They found all of your paperwork more than a year after they initially said that they had lost it?” Pelley asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

Asked if that seemed suspicious to her, Szymoniak said, “Yes, absolutely. What do you imagine? It fell behind the file cabinet? Where was all of this? ‘We had it, we own it, we lost it.’ And then more recently, everyone is coming in saying, ‘Hey we found it. Isn’t that wonderful?'”

But what the bank may not have known is that Szymoniak is a lawyer and fraud investigator with a specialty in forged documents. She has trained FBI agents.

She told Pelley she asked for copies of those documents.

Asked what she found, Szymoniak told Pelley, “When I looked at the assignment of my mortgage, and this is the assignment: it looked that even the date they put in, which was 10/17/08, was several months after they sued me for foreclosure. So, what they were saying to the court was, ‘We sued her in July of 2008 and we acquired this mortgage in October of 2008.’ It made absolutely no sense.”

Produced by Robert Anderson and Daniel Ruetenik

Now for the pleading

Timothy L. McCandless, Esq. SBN 147715

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Attorney for Plaintiffs

 

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

 

COUNTY OF ____________

___________________________________,

And ROES 1 through 5,000,

Plaintiff,

v.

SAND CANYON CORPORATION f/k/a OPTION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION; AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC.; WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Trustee for SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2; DOCX, LLC; and PREMIER TRUST DEED SERVICES and all persons unknown claiming any legal or  equitable right, title, estate, lien, or interest  in the property described in the complaint adverse to Plaintiff’s title, or any cloud on Plaintiff’s  title thereto, Does 1 through 10, Inclusive,

Defendants.CASE NO:

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT

FOR QUIET TITLE, DECLARATORY RELIEF, TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, PRELIMINARY INJUNTION AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION, CANCELATION OF INSTRUMENT AND FOR DAMAGES ARISING FROM:

SLANDER OF TITLE; TORTUOUS

VIOLATION OF STATUTE [Penal

Code § 470(b) – (d); NOTARY FRAUD;

///

///

///

///

Plaintiffs ___________________________ allege herein as follows:

GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

            1.         Plaintiffs ___________ (hereinafter individually and collectively referred to as “___________”), were and at all times herein mentioned are,  residents of the County of _________, State of California and the lawful owner of a parcel of real property commonly known as: _________________, California _______ and the legal description is:

Parcel No. 1:

A.P.N. No. _________ (hereinafter “Subject Property”).

2.         At all times herein mentioned, SAND CANYON CORPORATION f/k/a OPTION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION (hereinafter SAND CANYON”), is and was, a corporation existing by virtue of the laws of the State of California and claims an interest adverse to the right, title and interests of Plaintiff in the Subject Property.

3.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. (hereinafter “AMERICAN”), is and was, a corporation existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, and at all times herein mentioned was conducting ongoing business in the State of California.

4.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Trustee for SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2 (hereinafter referred to as “WELLS FARGO”), is and was, a member of the National Banking Association and makes an adverse claim to the Plaintiff MADRIDS’ right, title and interest in the Subject Property.

5.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant DOCX, L.L.C. (hereinafter “DOCX”), is and was, a limited liability company existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Georgia, and a subsidiary of Lender Processing Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

6.         At all times herein mentioned, __________________, was a company existing by virtue of its relationship as a subsidiary of __________________.

7.         Plaintiffs are ignorant of the true names and capacities of Defendants sued herein as DOES I through 10, inclusive, and therefore sues these Defendants by such fictitious names and all persons unknown claiming any legal or equitable right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the property described in the complaint adverse to Plaintiffs’ title, or any cloud on Plaintiffs’ title thereto. Plaintiffs will amend this complaint as required to allege said Doe Defendants’ true names and capacities when such have been fully ascertained. Plaintiffs further allege that Plaintiffs designated as ROES 1 through 5,000, are Plaintiffs who share a commonality with the same Defendants, and as the Plaintiffs listed herein.

8.         Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereon allege that at all times herein mentioned, Defendants, and each of them, were the agent and employee of each of the remaining Defendants.

9.         Plaintiffs allege that each and every defendants, and each of them, allege herein ratified the conduct of each and every other Defendant.

10.       Plaintiffs allege that at all times said Defendants, and each of them, were acting within the purpose and scope of such agency and employment.

11.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that circa July 2004, DOCX was formed with the specific intent of manufacturing fraudulent documents in order create the false impression that various entities obtained valid, recordable interests in real

properties, when in fact they actually maintained no lawful interest in said properties.

12.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that as a regular and ongoing part of the business of Defendant DOCX was to have persons sitting around a table signing names as quickly as possible, so that each person executing documents would sign approximately 2,500 documents per day. Although the persons signing the documents claimed to be a vice president of a particular bank of that document, in fact, the party signing the name was not the person named on the document, as such the signature was a forgery, that the name of the person claiming to be a vice president of a particular financial institution was not a “vice president”, did not have any prior training in finance, never worked for the company they allegedly purported to be a vice president of, and were alleged to be a vice president simultaneously with as many as twenty different banks and/or lending institutions.

13.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that the actual signatories of the instruments set forth in Paragraph 12 herein, were intended to and were fraudulently notarized by a variety of notaries in the offices of DOCX in Alpharetta, GA.

14.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that for all purposes the intent of Defendant DOCX was to intentionally create fraudulent documents, with forged signatures, so that said documents could be recorded in the Offices of County Recorders through the United States of America, knowing that such documents would forgeries, contained false information, and that the recordation of such documents would affect an interest in real property in violation of law.

15.       Plaintiffs allege that on or about, ____________, that they conveyed a first deed of  trust (hereinafter “DEED”) in favor of Option One Mortgage, Inc. with an interest of

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Pooling and servicing agreements PSA how it works in Judicial foreclosure states like Florida

THE ROOT OF FORECLOSURE DEFENSE The Pooling and Servicing Agreement (PSA) is the document that actually creates a residential mortgage backed securitized trust and establishes the obligations and authority of the Master Servicer and the Primary Servicer. The PSA is the heart and root of all securitized based foreclosure action defenses. The PSA establishes that mandatory rules and procedures for the sales and transfers of the mortgages and mortgage notes from the originators to the Trust. It is this unbroken chain of assignments and negotiations that creates what is called “The Alphabet Problem.” In order to understand the “Alphabet Problem,” you must keep in mind that the primary purpose of securitization is to make sure the assets (e.g., mortgage notes) are both FDIC and Bankruptcy “remote” from the originator. As a result, the common structures seek to create at least two “true sales” between the originator and the Trust. One of the defenses used by the famous Foreclosure Defender, April Charney is the following: PLAINTIFF FAILED TO COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT LOAN SERVICING REQUIREMENTS: Plaintiff failed to provide separate Defendants with legitimate and non predatory access to the debt management and relief that must be made available to borrowers, including this Defendant pursuant to and in accordance with the Pooling and Servicing Agreement filed by the plaintiff with the Securities and Exchange Commission that controls and applies to the subject mortgage loan. Plaintiff’s non-compliance with the conditions precedent to foreclosure imposed on the plaintiff pursuant to the applicable pooling and servicing agreement is an actionable event that makes the filing of this foreclosure premature based on a failure of a contractual and/or equitable condition precedent to foreclosure which denies Plaintiff’s ability to carry out this foreclosure. You therefore have in the most basic securitized structure the originator, the sponsor, the depositor and the Trust. I refer to these parties as the A (originator), B (sponsor), C (depositor) and D (Trust) alphabet players. The other primary but non-designated player in my alphabet game is the Master Document Custodian for the Trust. The MDC is entrusted with the physical custody of all of the “original” notes and mortgages and the assignment, sales and purchase agreements. The MDC must also execute representations and attestations that all of the transfers really and truly occurred “on time” and in the required “order” and that “true sales” occurred at each link in the chain. Section 2.01 of most PSAs includes the mandatory conveyancing rules for the Trust and the representations and warranties. The basic terms of this Section of the standard PSA is set-forth below: 2.01 Conveyance of Mortgage Loans. (a) The Depositor, concurrently with the execution and delivery hereof, hereby sells, transfers, assigns, sets over and otherwise conveys to the Trustee for the benefit of the Certificateholders, without recourse, all the right, title and interest of the Depositor in and to the Trust Fund, and the Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, hereby accepts the Trust Fund. (b) In connection with the transfer and assignment of each Mortgage Loan, the Depositor has delivered or caused to be delivered to the Trustee for the benefit of the Certificateholders the following documents or instruments with respect to each Mortgage Loan so assigned: (i) the original Mortgage Note (except for no more than up to 0.02% of the mortgage Notes for which there is a lost note affidavit and the copy of the Mortgage Note) bearing all intervening endorsements showing a complete chain of endorsement from the originator to the last endorsee, endorsed “Pay to the order of _____________, without recourse” and signed in the name of the last endorsee. To the extent that there is no room on the face of any Mortgage Note for an endorsement, the endorsement may be contained on an allonge, unless state law does not so allow and the Trustee is advised by the Responsible Party that state law does not so allow. If the Mortgage Loan was acquired by the Responsible Party in a merger, the endorsement must be by “[last endorsee], successor by merger to [name of predecessor]“. If the Mortgage Loan was acquired or originated by the last endorsee while doing business under another name, the endorsement must be by “[last endorsee], formerly known as [previous name]“; A review of all of the recent “standing” and “real party in interest” cases decided by the bankruptcy courts and the state courts in judicial foreclosure states all arise out of the inability of the mortgage servicer or the Trust to “prove up” an unbroken chain of “assignments and transfers” of the mortgage notes and the mortgages from the originators to the sponsors to the depositors to the trust and to the master document custodian for the trust. As stated in the referenced PSA, the parties have represented and warranted that there is “a complete chain of endorsements from the originator to the last endorsee” for the note. And, the Master Document Custodian must file verified reports that it in fact holds such documents with all “intervening” documents that confirm true sales at each link in the chain. The complete inability of the mortgage servicers and the Trusts to produce such unbroken chains of proof along with the original documents is the genesis for all of the recent court rulings. One would think that a simple request to the Master Document Custodian would solve these problems. However, a review of the cases reveals a massive volume of transfers and assignments executed long after the “closing date” for the Trust from the “originator” directly to the “trust.” I refer to these documents as “A to D” transfers and assignments. There are some serious problems with the A to D documents. First, at the time these documents are executed the A party has nothing to sell or transfer since the PSA provides such a sale and transfer occurred years ago. Second, the documents completely circumvent the primary objective of securitization by ignoring the “true sales” to the Sponsor (the B party) and the Depositor (the C party). In a true securitization, you would never have any direct transfers (A to D) from the originator to the trust. Third, these A to D transfers are totally inconsistent with the representations and warranties made in the PSA to the Securities and Exchange Commission and to the holders of the bonds (the “Certificateholders”) issued by the Trust. Fourth, in many cases the A to D documents are executed by parties who are not employed by the originator but who claim to have “signing authority” or some type of “agency authority” from the originator. Finally, in many of these A to D document cases the originator is legally defunct at the time the document is in fact signed or the document is signed with a current date but then states that it has an “effective date” that was one or two years earlier. Hence, we have what I call the Alphabet Problem.

AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES AND COUNTRCLAIMS RELATED TO POOLING & SERVICING AGREEMENTS 1. Plaintiff failed to comply with the foreclosure prevention loan servicing requirement imposed on Plaintiff pursuant to the National Housing Act, 12 U.S.C. 1701x(c)(5) which requires all private lenders servicing non-federally insured home loans, including the Plaintiff, to advise borrowers, including this separate Defendant, of any home ownership counseling Plaintiff offers together with information about counseling offered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2. Plaintiff cannot legally pursue foreclosure unless and until Plaintiff demonstrates compliance with 12 U.S.C. 1701x(c)(5). 3. Plaintiff failed to provide separate Defendants with legitimate and non predatory access to the debt management and relief that must be made available to borrowers, including this Defendant pursuant to and in accordance with the Pooling and Servicing Agreement filed by the plaintiff with the Securities and Exchange Commission that controls and applies to the subject mortgage loan. 4. Plaintiff’s non-compliance with the conditions precedent to foreclosure imposed on the plaintiff pursuant to the applicable pooling and servicing agreement is an actionable event that makes the filing of this foreclosure premature based on a failure of a contractual and/or equitable condition precedent to foreclosure which denies Plaintiff’s ability to carry out this foreclosure. 5. The special default loan servicing requirements contained in the subject pooling and servicing agreement are incorporated into the terms of the mortgage contract between the parties as if written therein word for word and the defendants are entitled to rely upon the servicing terms set out in that agreement. 6. Defendants are third party beneficiaries of the Plaintiff’s pooling and servicing agreement and entitled to enforce the special default servicing obligations of the plaintiff specified therein. 7. Plaintiff cannot legally pursue foreclosure unless and until Plaintiff demonstrates compliance with the foreclosure prevention servicing imposed by the subject pooling and servicing agreement under which the plaintiff owns the subject mortgage loan. 8. The section of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement (PSA) is a public document on file and online at http://www.secinfo.com and the entire pooling and servicing agreement is incorporated herein. 9. The Plaintiff failed, refused or neglected to comply, prior to the commencement of this action, with the servicing obligations specifically imposed on the plaintiff by the PSA in many particulars, including, but not limited to: a. Plaintiff failed to service and administer the subject mortgage loan in compliance with all applicable federal state and local laws. b. Plaintiff failed to service and administer the subject loan in accordance with the customary an usual standards of practice of mortgage lenders and servicers. c. Plaintiff failed to extend to defendants the opportunity and failed to permit a modification, waiver, forbearance or amendment of the terms of the subject loan or to in any way exercise the requisite judgment as is reasonably required pursuant to the PSA. 10. The Plaintiff has no right to pursue this foreclosure because the Plaintiff has failed to provide servicing of this residential mortgage loan in accordance with the controlling servicing requirements prior to filing this foreclosure action. 11. Defendants have a right to receive foreclosure prevention loan servicing from the Plaintiff before the commencement or initiation of this foreclosure action. 12. Defendants are in doubt regarding their rights and status as borrowers under the National Housing Act and also under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement filed by the plaintiff with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Defendants are now subject to this foreclosure action by reason of the above described illegal acts and omissions of the Plaintiff. 13. Defendants are being denied and deprived by Plaintiff of their right to access the required troubled mortgage loan servicing imposed on the plaintiff and applicable to the subject mortgage loan by the National Housing Act and also under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement filed by the plaintiff with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 14. Defendants are being illegally subjected by the Plaintiff to this foreclosure action, being forced to defend the same and they are being charged illegal predatory court costs and related fees, and attorney fees. Defendants are having their credit slandered and negatively affected, all of which constitutes irreparable harm to Defendants for the purpose of injunctive relief. 15. As a proximate result of the Plaintiff’s unlawful actions set forth herein, Defendants continue to suffer the irreparable harm described above for which monetary compensation is inadequate. 18. Defendants have a right to access the foreclosure prevention servicing prescribed by the National Housing Act and under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement filed by the plaintiff with the Securities and Exchange Commission which right is being denied to them by the Plaintiff. 16. These acts were wrongful and predatory acts by the plaintiff, through its predecessor in interest, and were intentional and deceptive. 17. There is a substantial likelihood that Defendants will prevail on the merits of the case.

Interagency Review of Foreclosure Policies and Practices

Press Release

Release Date: April 13, 2011

For immediate release

The Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday announced formal enforcement actions requiring 10 banking organizations to address a pattern of misconduct and negligence related to deficient practices in residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing. These deficiencies represent significant and pervasive compliance failures and unsafe and unsound practices at these institutions.

 

The Board is taking these actions to ensure that firms under its jurisdiction promptly initiate steps to establish mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processes that treat customers fairly, are fully compliant with all applicable law, and are safe and sound.

 

The 10 banking organizations are: Bank of America Corporation; Citigroup Inc.; Ally Financial Inc.; HSBC North America Holdings, Inc.; JPMorgan Chase & Co.; MetLife, Inc.; The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.; SunTrust Banks, Inc.; U.S. Bancorp; and Wells Fargo & Company. Collectively, these organizations represent 65 percent of the servicing industry, or nearly $6.8 trillion in mortgage balances. All 10 actions require the parent holding companies to improve holding company oversight of residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing conducted by bank and nonbank subsidiaries.

 

In addition, the enforcement actions order the banking organizations that have servicing entities regulated by the Federal Reserve (Ally Financial, SunTrust, and HSBC) to promptly correct the many deficiencies in residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing. Those deficiencies were identified by examiners during reviews conducted from November 2010 to January 2011.

 

The Federal Reserve believes monetary sanctions in these cases are appropriate and plans to announce monetary penalties. These monetary penalties will be in addition to the corrective actions that the banking organizations are expected to take pursuant to the enforcement actions.

The enforcement actions complement the actions under consideration by the federal and state regulatory and law enforcement agencies, and do not preclude those agencies from taking additional enforcement action. The Federal Reserve continues to work with other federal and state authorities to resolve these matters.

 

The actions taken Wednesday require each servicer to take a number of actions, including to make significant revisions to certain residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing practices. Each servicer must, among other things, submit plans acceptable to the Federal Reserve that:

  • strengthen coordination of communications with borrowers by providing borrowers the name of the person at the servicer who is their primary point of contact;
  • ensure that foreclosures are not pursued once a mortgage has been approved for modification, unless repayments under the modified loan are not made;
  • establish robust controls and oversight over the activities of third-party vendors that provide to the servicers various residential mortgage loan servicing, loss mitigation, or foreclosure-related support, including local counsel in foreclosure or bankruptcy proceedings;
  • provide remediation to borrowers who suffered financial injury as a result of wrongful foreclosures or other deficiencies identified in a review of the foreclosure process; and
  • strengthen programs to ensure compliance with state and federal laws regarding servicing, generally, and foreclosures, in particular.

 

The Federal Reserve will closely monitor progress at the firms in addressing these matters and will take additional enforcement actions as needed.

 

In addition to the actions against the banking organizations, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced formal enforcement actions against Lender Processing Services, Inc. (LPS), a domestic provider of default-management services and other services related to foreclosures, and against MERSCORP, Inc. (MERS), which provides services related to tracking and registering residential mortgage ownership and servicing, acts as mortgagee of record on behalf of lenders and servicers, and initiates foreclosure actions. These actions address significant compliance failures and unsafe and unsound practices at LPS and its subsidiaries, and at MERS and its subsidiary. The action requires LPS to address deficient practices related primarily to the document execution services that LPS, through its subsidiaries DocX, LLC, and LPS Default Solutions, Inc., provided to servicers in connection with foreclosures. MERS is required to address significant weaknesses in, among other things, oversight, management supervision, and corporate governance. The LPS action is being taken jointly with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of Thrift Supervision, while the MERS action is being taken jointly with those agencies and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

 

The Federal Reserve Board based its enforcement actions on the findings of the interagency reviews of the major mortgage servicers, LPS, and MERS. A summary of the findings from the reviews of the mortgage servicers is available in the Interagency Review of Foreclosure Policies and Practices,which is simultaneously being released by the Federal Reserve Board and the other agencies.

Attachments:

Fraud in the Making lawsuit attached

Mortgage paperwork mess: Next housing shock?

Scott Pelley reports how problems with mortgage documents are prompting lawsuits and could slow down the weak housing market

  • Play CBS Video Video The next housing shockAs more and more Americans face mortgage foreclosure, banks’ crucial ownership documents for the properties are often unclear and are sometimes even bogus, a condition that’s causing lawsuits and hampering an already weak housing market. Scott Pelley reports.
  • Video Extra: Eviction reprieveFlorida residents AJ and Brenda Boyd spent more than a year trying to renegotiate their mortgage and save their home. At the last moment, questions about who owns their mortgage saved them from eviction.
  • Video Extra: “Save the Dream” eventsBruce Marks, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America talks to Scott Pelley about his “Save the Dream” events and how foreclosures are causing a crisis in America.
(CBS News)If there was a question about whether we’re headed for a second housing shock, that was settled last week with news that home prices have fallen a sixth consecutive month. Values are nearly back to levels of the Great Recession. One thing weighing on the economy is the huge number of foreclosed houses.Many are stuck on the market for a reason you wouldn’t expect: banks can’t find the ownership documents.

Who really owns your mortgage?
Scott Pelley explains a bizarre aftershock of the U.S. financial collapse: An epidemic of forged and missing mortgage documents.

It’s bizarre but, it turns out, Wall Street cut corners when it created those mortgage-backed investments that triggered the financial collapse. Now that banks want to evict people, they’re unwinding these exotic investments to find, that often, the legal documents behind the mortgages aren’t there. Caught in a jam of their own making, some companies appear to be resorting to forgery and phony paperwork to throw people – down on their luck – out of their homes.

In the 1930s we had breadlines; venture out before dawn in America today and you’ll find mortgage lines. This past January in Los Angeles, 37,000 homeowners facing foreclosure showed up to an event to beg their bank for lower payments on their mortgage. Some people even slept on the sidewalk to get in line.

So many in the country are desperate now that they have to meet in convention centers coast to coast.

In February in Miami, 12,000 people showed up to a similar event. The line went down the block and doubled back twice.

Video: The next housing shock
Extra: Eviction reprieve
Extra: “Save the Dream” events

Dale DeFreitas lost her job and now fears her home is next. “It’s very emotional because I just think about it. I don’t wanna lose my home. I really don’t,” she told “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley.

“It’s your American dream,” he remarked.

“It was. And still is,” she replied.

These convention center events are put on by the non-profit Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, which helps people figure what they can afford, and then walks them across the hall to bank representatives to ask for lower payments. More than half will get their mortgages adjusted, but the rest discover that they just can’t keep their home.

For many that’s when the real surprise comes in: these same banks have fouled up all of their own paperwork to a historic degree.

“In my mind this is an absolute, intentional fraud,” Lynn Szymoniak, who is fighting foreclosure, told Pelley.

While trying to save her house, she discovered something we did not know: back when Wall Street was using algorithms and computers to engineer those disastrous mortgage-backed securities, it appears they didn’t want old fashioned paperwork slowing down the profits.

“This was back when it was a white hot fevered pitch to move as many of these as possible,” Pelley remarked.

“Exactly. When you could make a whole lotta money through securitization. And every other aspect of it could be done electronically, you know, key strokes. This was the only piece where somebody was supposed to actually go get documents, transfer the documents from one entity to the other. And it looks very much like they just eliminated that stuff all together,” Szymoniak said.

Szymoniak’s mortgage had been bundled with thousands of others into one of those Wall Street securities traded from investor to investor. When the bank took her to court, it first said it had lost her documents, including the critical assignment of mortgage which transfers ownership. But then, there was a courthouse surprise.

“They found all of your paperwork more than a year after they initially said that they had lost it?” Pelley asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

Asked if that seemed suspicious to her, Szymoniak said, “Yes, absolutely. What do you imagine? It fell behind the file cabinet? Where was all of this? ‘We had it, we own it, we lost it.’ And then more recently, everyone is coming in saying, ‘Hey we found it. Isn’t that wonderful?'”

But what the bank may not have known is that Szymoniak is a lawyer and fraud investigator with a specialty in forged documents. She has trained FBI agents.

She told Pelley she asked for copies of those documents.

Asked what she found, Szymoniak told Pelley, “When I looked at the assignment of my mortgage, and this is the assignment: it looked that even the date they put in, which was 10/17/08, was several months after they sued me for foreclosure. So, what they were saying to the court was, ‘We sued her in July of 2008 and we acquired this mortgage in October of 2008.’ It made absolutely no sense.”

Produced by Robert Anderson and Daniel Ruetenik

Now for the pleading

Timothy L. McCandless, Esq. SBN 147715

LAW OFFICES OF TIMOTHY L. MCCANDLESS

1881 Business Center Drive, Ste. 9A

San Bernardino, CA 92392

Tel:  909/890-9192

Fax: 909/382-9956

Attorney for Plaintiffs

 

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

 

COUNTY OF ____________

___________________________________,

And ROES 1 through 5,000,

Plaintiff,

v.

SAND CANYON CORPORATION f/k/a OPTION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION; AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC.; WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Trustee for SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2; DOCX, LLC; and PREMIER TRUST DEED SERVICES and all persons unknown claiming any legal or  equitable right, title, estate, lien, or interest  in the property described in the complaint adverse to Plaintiff’s title, or any cloud on Plaintiff’s  title thereto, Does 1 through 10, Inclusive,

Defendants.

CASE NO:

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT

FOR QUIET TITLE, DECLARATORY RELIEF, TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, PRELIMINARY INJUNTION AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION, CANCELATION OF INSTRUMENT AND FOR DAMAGES ARISING FROM:

SLANDER OF TITLE; TORTUOUS

VIOLATION OF STATUTE [Penal

Code § 470(b) – (d); NOTARY FRAUD;

///

///

///

///

Plaintiffs ___________________________ allege herein as follows:

GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

            1.         Plaintiffs ___________ (hereinafter individually and collectively referred to as “___________”), were and at all times herein mentioned are,  residents of the County of _________, State of California and the lawful owner of a parcel of real property commonly known as: _________________, California _______ and the legal description is:

Parcel No. 1:

A.P.N. No. _________ (hereinafter “Subject Property”).

2.         At all times herein mentioned, SAND CANYON CORPORATION f/k/a OPTION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION (hereinafter SAND CANYON”), is and was, a corporation existing by virtue of the laws of the State of California and claims an interest adverse to the right, title and interests of Plaintiff in the Subject Property.

3.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. (hereinafter “AMERICAN”), is and was, a corporation existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, and at all times herein mentioned was conducting ongoing business in the State of California.

4.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Trustee for SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT2 (hereinafter referred to as “WELLS FARGO”), is and was, a member of the National Banking Association and makes an adverse claim to the Plaintiff MADRIDS’ right, title and interest in the Subject Property.

5.         At all times herein mentioned, Defendant DOCX, L.L.C. (hereinafter “DOCX”), is and was, a limited liability company existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Georgia, and a subsidiary of Lender Processing Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

6.         At all times herein mentioned, __________________, was a company existing by virtue of its relationship as a subsidiary of __________________.

7.         Plaintiffs are ignorant of the true names and capacities of Defendants sued herein as DOES I through 10, inclusive, and therefore sues these Defendants by such fictitious names and all persons unknown claiming any legal or equitable right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the property described in the complaint adverse to Plaintiffs’ title, or any cloud on Plaintiffs’ title thereto. Plaintiffs will amend this complaint as required to allege said Doe Defendants’ true names and capacities when such have been fully ascertained. Plaintiffs further allege that Plaintiffs designated as ROES 1 through 5,000, are Plaintiffs who share a commonality with the same Defendants, and as the Plaintiffs listed herein.

8.         Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereon allege that at all times herein mentioned, Defendants, and each of them, were the agent and employee of each of the remaining Defendants.

9.         Plaintiffs allege that each and every defendants, and each of them, allege herein ratified the conduct of each and every other Defendant.

10.       Plaintiffs allege that at all times said Defendants, and each of them, were acting within the purpose and scope of such agency and employment.

11.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that circa July 2004, DOCX was formed with the specific intent of manufacturing fraudulent documents in order create the false impression that various entities obtained valid, recordable interests in real

properties, when in fact they actually maintained no lawful interest in said properties.

12.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that as a regular and ongoing part of the business of Defendant DOCX was to have persons sitting around a table signing names as quickly as possible, so that each person executing documents would sign approximately 2,500 documents per day. Although the persons signing the documents claimed to be a vice president of a particular bank of that document, in fact, the party signing the name was not the person named on the document, as such the signature was a forgery, that the name of the person claiming to be a vice president of a particular financial institution was not a “vice president”, did not have any prior training in finance, never worked for the company they allegedly purported to be a vice president of, and were alleged to be a vice president simultaneously with as many as twenty different banks and/or lending institutions.

13.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that the actual signatories of the instruments set forth in Paragraph 12 herein, were intended to and were fraudulently notarized by a variety of notaries in the offices of DOCX in Alpharetta, GA.

14.       Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereupon allege that for all purposes the intent of Defendant DOCX was to intentionally create fraudulent documents, with forged signatures, so that said documents could be recorded in the Offices of County Recorders through the United States of America, knowing that such documents would forgeries, contained false information, and that the recordation of such documents would affect an interest in real property in violation of law.

15.       Plaintiffs allege that on or about, ____________, that they conveyed a first deed of  trust (hereinafter “DEED”) in favor of Option One Mortgage, Inc. with an interest of

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HAMP denial Homeowner sues mortgage servicer over

Associated Press

Homeowner sues mortgage servicer over HAMP denial

LOS ANGELES — A California homeowner is suing the mortgage servicing unit of Morgan Stanley, claiming the company had no intention of permanently modifying her home loan payments to an affordable amount despite having her make a slew of trial payments under a federal program designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The complaint, which was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accuses Saxon Mortgage Services Inc. of breach of contract and deceptive debt collection, among other claims, and seeks class-action status.

In the lawsuit, Marie Gaudin of Daly City contends Saxon offered her a loan modification trial plan under the Home Affordable Modification Program on June 1, 2009.

The plan called for Gaudin to make three trial payments on her mortgage and provide any documents needed by Saxon to evaluate the proposed loan modification.

Gaudin claims she made all the payments and complied with the documentation requests, but wasn’t offered a permanent HAMP loan modification once the three-month trial plan period ended.

agged out the process for months, while asking her to continue making payments.

WHEN YOU’RE WRONG ON THE LAW ARGUE THE FACTS

Fraudulent Threats – By Foreclosure Lawyers

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Neil Garfield

COMBO Title and Securitization Search, Report, Documents, Analysis & Commentary SEE LIVINGLIES LITIGATION SUPPORT AT LUMINAQ.COM

EDITOR’S COMMENT: About the only thing the lawyers have left is intimidation and trickery. Don’t believe a word you are told by the pretender lender or the lawyer for the pretender lender. It is all a game to them. The goal is for them to get your house for free. They never loaned you the money and they never purchased the loan. They have nothing to lose by going after your house because nobody is stopping them and nobody is holding them accountable. They don’t even lose anything if they lose the case because the number of cases lost (3%) is less than the normal default rate on valid mortgages. They will use ridicule and outright fabrication and forgery of documents combined with lying in court and introducing witnesses that don’t know a thing about your case. OBJECT!

And when some lawyer tries a collection stunt like this (see below), use it against him every way you can.

Fraudulent Threats – By Foreclosure Lawyers

Yesterday, March 24, 2011, 9:41:13 PM | Mark StopaGo to full article

The Tampa Tribune has a fascinating yet sickening story about a lawyer for BB&T who sent a Florida homeowner a demand letter requiring payment of the balance of her mortgage within 30 days.  Threatening letters like this are common; where this one is so different is that the lawyer attached it to a document that looks like an official court filing in a pending foreclosure lawsuit … only it’s not.

Take a look …

Glen Ables received paperwork from a Tampa Attorney stating his house was entering foreclosure even after he was able to refinance through his bank.

At first blush, this looks like a typical Notice of Appearance by a law firm in a pending foreclosure case.  Closer inspection, though, shows the document has no case number – and every pending lawsuit always has a case number.  In fact, closer inspection of the Hillsborough County clerk’s website reveals there is no lawsuit pending at all against this homeowner; the lawyer just made it appear that way.  Quite simply, as the article indicates, the letter and form are totally bogus!

So the question becomes – did the lawyer create the bogus form intentionally?  Let’s put it this way.  I’ve been a lawyer for ten years.  I’ve represented Plaintiffs and Defendants in thousands of lawsuits of various types.  I cannot fathom a circumstance where I’d sign a paper like that accidentally.  I don’t see how it’s possible.  How does one go about drafting a Notice of Appearance with that homeowner’s name on it, as a Defendant, if there is no lawsuit against that homeowner?  Clearly the lawyer didn’t have copies of a court file or anything to that effect – there was no court file.

Unfortunately, a Florida Bar investigator seemed quick to let the lawyer off the hook, saying ”I could see how with thousands of cases, a mistake like this could happen.”  (BTW, that’s an odd comment to make about what is sure to be a pending investigation.)  Anyway, as a lawyer, how do you sign your name on a court document and not realize there is no lawsuit pending?  How does that form ever get drafted?  Even if the lawyer cut and pasted from a similar form (not uncommon for this type of practice), why did the lawyer write that homeowner’s name as the defendant if there was no lawsuit pending?  I just can’t fathom how it could be accidental.

Another telling factor – the letter attached demanded payment of the mortgage within 30 days.  This is a very typical, pre-suit demand letter.  Most mortgages have a provision requiring notice to the homeowner of the default on the mortgage payments and an opportunity to cure that default prior to filing suit.  If that is the letter that was attached, then the lawyer had to know a lawsuit had not been filed; that’s the entire point of the letter – it’s sent prior to any lawsuit!

Now for a little fun.

Lawyers are generally immune from being sued for actions taken as a lawyer under a legal doctrine called the absolute litigation privilege.  I’m simplifying, but this basically means that a party can’t sue the opposing attorney for defamation, or anything like that, merely because the lawyer is asserting a legal position in a pending case.  However, this doctrine typically applies only to actions taken by lawyers during the course of pending lawsuits.  Here, there was no lawsuit pending, so it seems to me that this homeowner has grounds for a lawsuit against the lawyer, the law firm, and BB&T, if she so chooses!  Or if the homeowner doesn’t want to be a plaintiff in such a suit, it can assert defenses/counterclaims predicated on this issue if/when BB&T files a foreclosure lawsuit!

Mark Stopa

www.stayinmyhome.com

PRETENDERS TRYING TO TAKE OVER COURT SYSTEMS THROUGH LEGISLATIVE ACTION UNCONSTITUTIONAL? SO WHAT?

From Neil Garfield:

WALL STREET, realizing it really doesn’t have a leg to stand on in Court and that an increasing number of decisions are going against them for simple, black letter law reasons, is attempting an end run around the Court system. In Florida a House panel has moved a bill that would give the legislature power over rule-making IN THE COURT SYSTEM! It sounds innocuous — but what it does is allow pretenders to foreclose even when they lack standing, are not the real party in interest, are not the creditor and have no legal relationship with a creditor that has a legal interest in a home loan. They are going to redefine those legal precepts that have governed an orderly society for hundreds of years so they can GET ANOTHER FREE HOUSE — ACTUALLY MILLIONS OF THEM TO ADD TO THE MILLIONS THEY HAVE TAKEN.

I don’t know when some clerk in a recording office is suddenly going to be in full realization that these houses are being stolen contrary to the law the clerk swore to uphold, but it’s coming. The  homes are being “bought” with a piece of paper (like a derivative) that has no value and contrary to law in the form of what they are calling a credit bid. But the credit bid can ONLY come from a creditor.

SO you have a company that lent no money, purchased no receivable, received no note or mortgage, nor any valid agency authority making the bid and then the title gets whipped around and put into entities that are “bankruptcy-remote” (code for protecting the thieves) and who are taking their order from unidentified people who work for unidentified companies contrary to the interests of either the investor who put up the money or the borrower who put up his home as collateral on a loan that was misrepresented to both as being worth less than the value of the property when the truth was quite the opposite.

WHILE THEY CONCEDE IT WOULD TAKE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO DO IT, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE PUSHING IN FLORIDA AND OTHER STATES. IT IS A FRONTAL ASSAULT ON THE BASIS OF  GOVERNMENT WE HAVE — THREE BRANCHES EACH WITH THEIR OWN POWERS THAT CANNOT BE ASSUMED BY THE OTHERS.

If they succeed, the very act would be unconstitutional on the Federal level but who cares? They will have passed a law, changed the state constitution, and given themselves years to acquire more FREE HOUSES. Just because they didn’t make the loan, just because they didn’t buy the loan and just because they purposely lied to the borrower and the investor at both closings (where the investor put up the money and where the loan was funded) — that’s no reason to put an absolute stop on foreclosures!

The good news is that we are seeing desperate measures from desperate people. The house cards is about to tumble and neither the government nor the megabanks can stop it. The plain truth is that the banks have no real assets to support their structure or infrastructure but they are pretending they do and the government is letting them. Funny how the free market and separation of three branches of government is going to make the correction — another example, bankers, of be careful what you wish for.

The bad news is that it is going to work unless people get active and let their legislators know what is going on. Let them know you want the government that America started with and no redo’s, losing the court system as a check on the powers of the legislature and executive branch. If they win, America is over with two branches of government instead of three. It is the same thing as those contracts with insurance companies and investment firms that provide for “arbitration” with their own arbitrators. The independence of the judiciary will be destroyed, along with any chance for anyone to get a fair shake. The coup d’etat is not nearly over. We are still only in the 3rd or 4th inning of a nine inning game. You are up to bat. GO GET ‘EM!!!

Foreclosure Deal Could Be Delayed (via Foreclosureblues)

Foreclosure Deal Could Be Delayed Foreclosure Deal Could Be Delayed Yesterday, March 17, 2011, 3:23:47 PM | By BEN PROTESS The effort by the Obama administration and some state regulators to help homeowners avoid foreclosure is facing modest delays in the face of opposition from banks and Congressional Republicans. … Read More

via Foreclosureblues

** CONSUMER ALERT ** FRAUD WARNING REGARDING LAWSUIT MARKETERS REQUESTING UPFRONT FEES FOR SO-CALLED “MASS JOINDER” OR CLASS LITIGATION PROMISING EXTRAORDINARY HOME MORTGAGE RELIEF

The California Department of Real Estate has issued the following
“CONSUMER ALERT” warning consumers about claims being made by marketers
of “Mass Joinder” Lawsuits. I have provided two links to the California
Department’s Website containing the text of the “Alert,” but have also
re-posted it in its entirety to help broaden the distribution of the
document. Mandelman

California Department of Real Estate ** CONSUMER ALERT **
FRAUD WARNING REGARDING LAWSUIT MARKETERS REQUESTING UPFRONT FEES FOR
SO-CALLED “MASS JOINDER” OR CLASS LITIGATION PROMISING EXTRAORDINARY
HOME MORTGAGE RELIEF
By Wayne S. Bell, Chief Counsel, California Department of Real Estate
I. HOME MORTGAGE RELIEF THROUGH LITIGATION (and “Too Good to Be True”
Claims Regarding Its Use to Avoid and/or Stop Foreclosure, Obtain Loan
Principal Reduction, and to Let You Have Your Home “Free and Clear” of
Any Mortgage).
This alert is written to warn consumers about marketing companies,
unlicensed entities, lawyers, and so-called attorney-backed,
attorney-affiliated, and lawyer referral entities that offer and sell
false hope and request the payment of upfront fees for so-called “mass
joinder” or class litigation that will supposedly result in
extraordinary home mortgage relief.
The California Department of Real Estate (“DRE” or “Department”)
previously issued a consumer alert and fraud warning on loan
modification and foreclosure rescue scams in California. That alert was
followed by warnings and alerts regarding forensic loan audit fraud,
scams in connection with short sale transactions, false and misleading
designations and claims of special expertise, certifications and
credentials in connection with home loan relief services, and other real
estate and home loan relief scams.

The Department continues to administratively prosecute those who engage
in such fraud and to work in collaboration with the California State
Bar, the Federal Trade Commission, and federal, State and local criminal
law enforcement authorities to bring such frauds to justice.
On October 11, 2009, Senate Bill 94 was signed into law in California,
and it became effective that day. It prohibited any person, including
real estate licensees and attorneys, from charging, claiming, demanding,
collecting or receiving an upfront fee from a homeowner borrower in
connection with a promise to modify the borrower’s residential loan or
some other form of mortgage loan forbearance.
Senate Bill 94’s prohibitions seem to have significantly impacted the
rampant fraud that was occurring and escalating with respect to the
payment of upfront fees for loan modification work.
Also, forensic loan auditors must now register with the California
Department of Justice and cannot accept payments in advance for their
services under California law once a Notice of Default has been
recorded. There are certain exceptions for lawyers and real estate
brokers.
On January 31, 2011, an important and broad advance fee ban issued by
the Federal Trade Commission became effective and outlaws providers of
mortgage assistance relief services from requesting or collecting
advance fees from a homeowner.
Discussions about Senate Bill 94, the Federal advance fee ban, and the
Consumer Alerts of the DRE, are available on the DRE’s website at
www.dre.ca.gov.
Lawyer Exemption from the Federal Advance Fee Ban –
The advance fee ban issued by the Federal Trade Commission includes a
narrow and conditional carve out for attorneys.
If lawyers meet the following four conditions, they are generally exempt
from the rule:
1. They are engaged in the practice of law, and mortgage assistance
relief is part of their practice.
2. They are licensed in the State where the consumer or the
dwelling is located.
3. They are complying with State laws and regulations governing the
“same type of conduct the [FTC] rule requires”.
4. They place any advance fees they collect in a client trust
account and comply with State laws and regulations covering such
accounts. This requires that client funds be kept separate from the
lawyers’ personal and/or business funds until such time as the funds
have been earned.
It is important to note that the exemption for lawyers discussed above
does not allow lawyers to collect money upfront for loan modifications
or loan forbearance services, which advance fees are banned by the more
restrictive California Senate Bill 94.
But those who continue to prey on and victimize vulnerable homeowners
have not given up. They just change their tactics and modify their
sales pitches to keep taking advantage of those who are desperate to
save their homes. And some of the frauds seeking to rip off desperate
homeowners are trying to use the lawyer exemption above to collect
advance fees for mortgage assistance relief litigation.
This alert and warning is issued to call to your attention the often
overblown and exaggerated “sales pitch(es)” regarding the supposed value
of questionable “Mass Joinder” or Class Action Litigation.
Whether they call themselves Foreclosure Defense Experts, Mortgage Loan
Litigators, Living Free and Clear experts, or some other official,
important or impressive sounding title(s), individuals and companies are
marketing their services in the State of California and on the Internet.
They are making a wide variety of claims and sales pitches, and offering
impressive sounding legal and litigation services, with quite
extraordinary remedies promised, with the goal of taking and getting
some of your money.
While there are lawyers and law firms which are legitimate and
qualified to handle complex class action or joinder litigation, you must
be cautious and BEWARE. And certainly check out the lawyers on the
State Bar website and via other means, as discussed below in Section
III. II.
QUESTIONABLE AND/OR FALSE CLAIMS OF THE SO-CALLED MORTGAGE LOAN DEFENSE
OR “MASS JOINDER” AND CLASS LITIGATORS.
A. What are the Claims/Sales Pitches? They are many and varied, and
include:
1. You can join in a mass joinder or class action lawsuit already
filed against your lender and stay in your home. You can stop paying
your lender.
2. The mortgage loans can be stripped entirely from your home.
3. Your payment obligation and foreclosure against your home can be
stopped when the lawsuit is filed.
4. The litigation will take the power away from your lender.
5. A jury will side with you and against your lender.
6. The lawsuit will give you the leverage you need to stay in your
home.
7. The lawsuit may give you the right to rescind your home loan,
or to reduce your principal.
8. The lawsuit will help you modify your home loan. It will give
you a step up in the loan modification process.
9. The litigation will be performed through “powerful” litigation
attorney representation.
10. Litigation attorneys are “turning the tables on lenders and
getting cash settlements for homeowners”. In one Internet advertisement,
the marketing materials say, “the damages sought in your behalf are
nothing less than a full lien strip or in otherwords [sic] a free and
clear house if the bank can’t produce the documents they own the note on
your home. Or at the very least, damages could be awarded that would
reduce the principal balance of the note on your home to 80% of market
value, and give you a 2% interest rate for the life of the loan”.
B. Discussion.
Please don’t be fooled by slick come-ons by scammers who just want your
money. Some of the claims above might be true in a particular case,
based on the facts and evidence presented before a Court or a jury, or
have a ring or hint of truth, but you must carefully examine and analyze
each and every one of them to determine if filing a lawsuit against your
lender or joining a class or mass joinder lawsuit will have any value
for you and your situation. Be particularly skeptical of all such
claims, since agreeing to participate in 4 such litigation may require
you to pay for legal or other services, often before any legal work is
performed (e.g., a significant upfront retainer fee is required).
The reality is that litigation is time-consuming (with formal discovery
such as depositions, interrogatories, requests for documents, requests
for admissions, motions, and the like), expensive, and usually
vigorously defended. There can be no guarantees or assurances with
respect to the outcome of a lawsuit.
Even if a lender or loan owner defendant were to lose at trial, it can
appeal, and the entire process can take years. Also, there is no
statistical or other competent data that supports the claims that a mass
joinder and class action lawsuit, even if performed by a licensed,
legitimate and trained lawyer(s), will provide the remedies that the
marketers promise.
There are two other important points to be made here:
First, even assuming that the lawyers can identify fraud or other legal
violations performed by your lender in the loan origination process,
your loan may be owned by an investor – that is, someone other than your
lender. The investor will most assuredly argue that your claims against
your originating lender do not apply against the investor (the purchaser
of your loan). And even if your lender still owns the loan, they are not
legally required, absent a court judgment or order, to modify your loan
or to halt the foreclosure process if you are behind in your payments.
If they happen to lose the lawsuit, they can appeal, as noted above.
Also, the violations discovered may be minor or inconsequential, which
will not provide for any helpful remedies.
Second, and very importantly, loan modifications and other types of
foreclosure relief are simply not possible for every homeowner, and the
“success rate” is currently very low in California. This is where the
lawsuit marketing scammers come in and try to convince you that they
offer you “a leg up”. They falsely claim or suggest that they can
guarantee to stop a foreclosure in its tracks, leave you with a home
“free and clear” of any mortgage loan(s), make lofty sounding but
hollow promises, exaggerate or make bold statements regarding their
litigation successes, charge you for a retainer, and leave you with less
money.
III. THE KEY HERE IS FOR YOU TO BE ON GUARD AND CHECK THE LAWYERS OUT
(Know Who You Are or May Be Dealing With) – Do Your Own Homework (Avoid
The Traps Set by the Litigation Marketing Frauds).
Before entering into an attorney-client relationship, or paying for
“legal” or litigation services, ascertain the name of the lawyer or
lawyers who will be providing the services. Then check them out on the
State Bar’s website, at www.calbar.ca.gov. Make certain that they are
licensed by the State Bar of California. If they are licensed, see if
they have been disciplined.
Check them out through the Better Business Bureau to see if the Bureau
has received any complaints about the lawyer, law firm or marketing firm
offering the services (and remember that only lawyers can provide legal
services). And please understand that this is just another resource for
you to check, as the litigation services provider might be so new that
the Better Business Bureau may have little or nothing on them (or
something positive because of insufficient public input).
Check them out through a Google or related search on the Internet. You
may be amazed at what you can and will find out doing such a search.
Often consumers who have been scammed will post their experiences,
insights, and warnings long
before any criminal, civil or administrative action has been brought
against the scammers.
Also, ask them lots of specific, detailed questions about their
litigation experience, clients and successful results. For example, you
should ask them how many mortgage-related joinder or class lawsuits they
have filed and handled through settlement or trial. Ask them for
pleadings they have filed and news stories about their so-called
successes. Ask them for a list of current and past “satisfied” clients.
If they provide you with a list, call those people and ask those former
clients if they would use the lawyer or law firm again.
Ask the lawyers if they are class action or joinder litigation
specialists and ask them what specialist qualifications they have. Then
ask what they will actually do for you (what specific services they will
be providing and for what fees and costs). Get that in writing, and take
the time to fully understand what the attorney-client contract says and
what the end result will be before proceeding with the services.
Remember to always ask for and demand copies of all documents that you
sign.
IV. CONCLUSION.
Mortgage rescue frauds are extremely good at selling false hope to
consumers in trouble with regard to home loans. The scammers continue
to adapt and to modify their schemes as soon as their last ones became
ineffective. Promises of successes through mass joinder or class
litigation are now being marketed. Please be careful, do your own
diligence to protect yourself, and be highly suspect if anyone asks you
for money up front before doing any service on your behalf. Most
importantly, DON’T LET FRAUDS TAKE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.
###########
Here’s another link to the California Department of Real Estate’s page
containing this fraud warning:
FRAUD WARNING REGARDING LAWSUIT MARKETERS REQUESTING UPFRONT FEES FOR
SO-CALLED “MASS JOINDER” OR CLASS LITIGATION PROMISING EXTRAORDINARY
HOME MORTGAGE RELIEF

Obama End Run To Force deal with Banks

Administration accused of bypassing Congress in negotiating deal with banks

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011; 8:55 PM

Republican lawmakers on Wednesday accused the Obama administration of trying to make an end run around Congress as it negotiates a large settlement with banks involved in shoddy foreclosure practices.

In a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, Republicans criticized the scope of a 27-page draft term sheet that was recently submitted to five of the nation’s largest banks by state attorneys general and a handful of federal agencies, including the Justice Department and the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“The settlement agreement not only legislates new standards and practices for the servicing industry, it also resuscitates programs and policies that have not worked or that Congress has explicitly rejected,” the letter said. It was signed by nearly half a dozen Republicans, including Rep. Scott Garrett (N.J.), the lead sponsor.

The term sheet, which attempts to overhaul mortgage servicing practices, is part of broader settlement discussions that came under attack Wednesday by Sen. Richard C. Shelby (Ala.), who said the administration is politicizing the negotiations.

Shelby, the Senate banking committee’s ranking Republican, requested that the banking panel look into the discussions and asked that the administration refrain from entering into a settlement until Congress examines the matter.

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“This proposed settlement appears to be an attempt to advance the administration’s political agenda, rather than an effort to help homeowners who were harmed by a servicer’s actual conduct,” he said at a Senate hearing on Wednesday.

The broad global settlement attempts to deal with the extensive foreclosure problems – including flawed or fraudulent paperwork and questions about improper or incomplete loan transfers – that surfaced in September and prompted some of the nation’s largest banks to temporarily halt foreclosures.

Although the administration has not publicly commented on the specifics, sources familiar with the negotiations have chronicled some of the details under consideration, including a push to fine the banks $20 billion or more and force them to modify troubled mortgages.

Under serious discussion is a proposal that would require banks to reduce the principal on loans of “underwater” borrowers – those who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. House Republicans balked at the idea, arguing that Congress has rejected similar efforts that would have enabled bankruptcy judges to allow principal reductions.

They also questioned why the administration is considering forcing banks to use the fines to help such borrowers when the foreclosure paperwork errors that led to the settlement talks were unrelated to underwater loans. They asked Geithner to explain the legal basis “for using funds collected in an enforcement action to benefit parties who have not been harmed by the purported wrongdoing.”

Shelby singled out as problematic news reports about the role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in these discussions. The bureau, led by Elizabeth Warren, has not officially opened its doors. But sources familiar with the matter say Warren is involved in negotiations with the banks.

“What is occurring appears to be nothing less than a regulatory shakedown by the new Bureau for Consumer Financial Protection, the FDIC, the Fed, certain attorneys general, and the administration,” Shelby said.

House Republicans also took issue with the bureau’s role. Without mentioning Warren, their letter asked Geithner to explain why an official from an agency that lacks regulatory or enforcement authority is part of the negotiations.

A spokeswoman for the bureau declined to comment.

The Republicans are echoing the view of many in the banking industry. On Wednesday, the Independent Community Bankers of America said in a statement that some of the proposals are a backdoor form of regulation and that they probably will “cause additional upheaval and confusion.”

To highlight their differences, House Republicans singled out part of the administration’s proposal that would improve its main foreclosure-prevention effort: the Home Affordable Modification Program. The initiative is far from reaching its initial goal of helping 3 million to 4 million borrowers. Next week, the House is expected to vote on a Republican-led bill that would kill the program.

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Dr. Housing Bubble (via Foreclosureblues)

Dr. Housing Bubble Dr. Housing Bubble Blog Friday, March 04, 2011, 2:43:53 AM Four financial corners of California – real estate and broker licensees continue to decline, banks extend average foreclosure to 285 days, underemployment surges to 19.9 percent nationwide, and Federal Reserve now largest U.S. debt holder. Friday, March 04, 2011, 2:43:53 AM | drhousingbubble California home prices continue on a downward and inevitable trend lower reflecting an underlying … Read More

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Oregon foreclosures stopped by judges’ rulings Oregon foreclosures stopped by judges’ rulings Yesterday, March 05, 2011, 11:01:45 PM | dinsfla Published: Saturday, March 05, 2011, 7:34 PM     Updated: Saturday, March 05, 2011, 7:47 PM By Brent Hunsberger, The Oregonian The sales of hundreds of foreclosed homes in Oregon have been halted or withdrawn in recent weeks after federal judges repeatedly questioned […] … Read More

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Financial dismantling of the American middle class in 8 charts – Peak debt, credit card addiction withdrawal, banks hoarding cash, financial sector dominance in pay, Federal debt will never be paid off, and struggles of the middle class. (via Foreclosureblues)

Financial dismantling of the American middle class in 8 charts – Peak debt, credit card addiction withdrawal, banks hoarding cash, financial sector dominance in pay, Federal debt will never be paid off, and struggles of the middle class. Financial dismantling of the American middle class in 8 charts – Peak debt, credit card addiction withdrawal, banks hoarding cash, financial sector dominance in pay, Federal debt will never be paid off, and struggles of the middle class. Posted by mybudget360 in bailout, banks, corporate power, crooks, debt, economy, income, middle class, recession, wall street 0 Comments The American economy runs on high octane debt.  Debt has been welcomed by m … Read More

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Oregon foreclosures stopped by judges’ rulings (via Foreclosureblues)

Oregon foreclosures stopped by judges’ rulings Oregon foreclosures stopped by judges’ rulings Yesterday, March 05, 2011, 11:01:45 PM | dinsfla Published: Saturday, March 05, 2011, 7:34 PM     Updated: Saturday, March 05, 2011, 7:47 PM By Brent Hunsberger, The Oregonian The sales of hundreds of foreclosed homes in Oregon have been halted or withdrawn in recent weeks after federal judges repeatedly questioned […] … Read More

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Adam Levitin…Securitization Chain-of-Title: the US Bank v. Congress ruling (via Foreclosureblues)

Adam Levitin...Securitization Chain-of-Title: the US Bank v. Congress ruling Securitization Chain-of-Title: the US Bank v. Congress ruling Today, March 06, 2011, 7 hours ago | Adam Levitin Over on Housing Wire, Paul Jackson is crowing that chain-of-title issues in mortgage securitization are overblown because an Alabama state trial court rejected such arguments in a case ironically captioned U.S. Bank v. Congress. But let’s actually consider whether the opinion matters, what the court actually did and did not say, and whe … Read More

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Washington State Sells Out To The Banksters (via Foreclosureblues)

Washington State Sells Out To The Banksters Washington State Sells Out To The Banksters Today, March 06, 2011, 4 hours ago | genesis There is a bill pending before the Washington Legislature that would "reform" foreclosure procedures.  Among the provisions of SB-5275 is: 7 (a) That, for residential real estate property, before the notice of trustee's sale is recorded, transmitted, or served, the trustee shall have proof that the beneficiary (bank) is the owner of the promissory note or obl … Read More

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The Market Ticker - The MERS Edifice Is Being Eaten.... The Market Ticker – The MERS Edifice Is Being Eaten…. Today, March 06, 2011, 3 hours ago | genesis …. from within: FOR more than a decade, the American real estate market resembled an overstuffed novel, which is to say, it was an engrossing piece of fiction. Yes, and let's never forget how that happened.  Banks made loans they knew people couldn't pay and didn't meet quality standards (now a matter of sworn testimony, not presumption) and sol … Read More

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Gomes decision all thats left is 2923.5 and that was “gutted” by maybry

1
Filed 2/18/11
CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION
COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
DIVISION ONE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
JOSE GOMES,
Plaintiff and Appellant,
v.
COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC., et al.,
Defendants and Respondents.
D057005
(Super. Ct. No. 37-2009-00090347-CU-OR-CTL)
APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Diego County, Steven R. Denton, Judge. Affirmed.
Gersten Law Group and Ehud Gersten for Plaintiff and Appellant.
Severson & Werson, Jan T. Chilton, Philip Barilovits and Jon D. Ives for Defendants and Respondents.
Jose Gomes appeals from a judgment entered following the trial court’s order sustaining, without leave to amend, a demurrer filed by defendants Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (Countrywide); Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS); and ReconTrust Company, N.A. (ReconTrust) (collectively “Defendants”).
2
As we will explain, we conclude that the trial court properly sustained the demurrer without leave to amend.
I
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
In February 2004 Gomes borrowed $331,000 from lender KB Home Mortgage Company to finance the purchase of real estate. In connection with that transaction, he executed a promissory note (the Note), which was secured by a deed of trust. The deed of trust identifies KB Home Mortgage Company as the “Lender” and identifies MERS as “acting solely as a nominee for Lender and Lender’s successors and assigns,” and states that “MERS is the beneficiary under this Security Instrument.”1
The role of MERS is central to the issues in this appeal. As case law explains, “MERS is a private corporation that administers the MERS System, a national electronic registry that tracks the transfer of ownership interests and servicing rights in mortgage loans. Through the MERS System, MERS becomes the mortgagee of record for participating members through assignment of the members’ interests to MERS. MERS is listed as the grantee in the official records maintained at county register of deeds offices. The lenders retain the promissory notes, as well as the servicing rights to the mortgages. The lenders can then sell these interests to investors without having to record the transaction in the public record. MERS is compensated for its services through fees
1 Similarly, the deed of trust states: “The beneficiary of this Security Instrument is MERS (solely as nominee for Lender and Lender’s successor and assigns) and the successors and assigns of MERS.”
3
charged to participating MERS members.” (Mortgage Elec. Registration Sys. v. Nebraska Dept. of Banking & Fin. (2005) 270 Neb. 529, 530 [704 N.W.2d 784, 785].) “A side effect of the MERS system is that a transfer of an interest in a mortgage loan between two MERS members is unknown to those outside the MERS system.” (Jackson v. Mortgage Elec. Registration Sys., Inc. (Minn. 2009) 770 N.W.2d 487, 491.)
The deed of trust that Gomes signed states that “Borrower [i.e., Gomes] understands and agrees that MERS holds only legal title to the interests granted by Borrower in this Security Instrument, but, if necessary to comply with law or custom, MERS (as nominee for Lender and Lender’s successors and assigns) has the right: to exercise any or all of those interests, including, but not limited to, the right to foreclose and sell the Property . . . .”
Gomes defaulted on his loan payments, and he was mailed a notice of default and election to sell — recorded on March 10, 2009 — which initiated a nonjudicial foreclosure process. The notice of default was sent to Gomes by ReconTrust, which identified itself as an agent for MERS. Accompanying the notice of default was a declaration signed by an employee of Countrywide, which apparently was acting as the loan servicer.2
2 The deed of trust states that a loan servicer is the entity that “collects Periodic Payments due under the Note and this Security Instrument and performs other mortgage loan servicing obligations.”
4
In May 2009 Gomes filed a lawsuit against Countrywide, MERS and ReconTrust, alleging several causes of action and attaching as exhibits the deed of trust and the notice of default.
The only causes of action at issue in this appeal are the first and second causes of action, which are asserted against all Defendants.3
The first cause of action is titled “Wrongful Initiation of Foreclosure.” In that cause of action, Gomes states that he “does not know the identity of the Note’s beneficial owner” — as he believes that KB Home Mortgage Company sold it on the secondary mortgage market. He alleges on information and belief that “the person or entity who directed the initiation of the foreclosure process, whether through an agent of MERS or otherwise, was neither the Note’s rightful owner nor acting with the rightful owner’s authority.” In short, the first cause of action alleges, on information and belief, that MERS did not have authority to initiate the foreclosure because the current owner of the Note did not authorize MERS to proceed with the foreclosure. As a remedy, the first cause of action states that Gomes seeks damages in an amount “not less than $25,000.”4
3 The remaining causes of action were for (1) quiet title against Defendants; (2) violation of the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (Civ. Code, § 1788.10 et seq.) against Countrywide; (3) violation of Civil Code section 2943, subdivision (b)(1) against Countrywide; and (4) unfair competition against Countrywide and MERS (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 17200). These causes of action were all disposed of in connection with the demurrer.
4 The complaint’s general prayer for relief also seeks an order rescinding the notice of default, along with other relief, but it is not clear whether those remedies are sought for the first cause of action.
5
The second cause of action seeks declaratory relief on the issue of whether “[Civil Code section 2924, subdivision (a)] allows a borrower, before his or her property is sold, to bring a civil action in order to test whether the person electing to sell the property is, or is duly authorized to so by, the owner of a beneficial interest in it.” Although designated a cause of action for declaratory relief, the second cause of action appears to serve simply as a legal argument in support of the first cause of action. Specifically, the second cause of action alleges that section 2924, subdivision (a) provides the legal authority for Gomes to assert the claim he has made in the first cause of action, namely that MERS lacks the authority to initiate the foreclosure process because it was not authorized to do so by the owner of the Note.
Defendants filed a demurrer. Demurring to the first cause of action, Defendants argued, among other things, that (1) to maintain a cause of action for wrongful foreclosure, Gomes must allege that he is able to tender the full amount due under the loan; (2) California’s nonjudicial foreclosure statute sets forth an exhaustive framework that does not provide for the type of relief that Gomes seeks; (3) the terms of the deed of trust authorize MERS to initiate a foreclosure proceeding; and (4) if Gomes is arguing that “he is entitled to avoid foreclosure until a defendant has produced the note,” such a claim has been uniformly rejected. Demurring to the second cause of action for declaratory relief, Defendants argued that it was “nothing more than a repeat of the legal theory” asserted in the first cause of action and should be rejected on the same basis.
The trial court sustained the demurrer, without leave to amend, and entered judgment in favor of Defendants.
6
II
DISCUSSION
A. Standard of Review
” ‘On appeal from an order of dismissal after an order sustaining a demurrer, our standard of review is de novo, i.e., we exercise our independent judgment about whether the complaint states a cause of action as a matter of law.’ ” (Los Altos El Granada Investors v. City of Capitola (2006) 139 Cal.App.4th 629, 650.) “A judgment of dismissal after a demurrer has been sustained without leave to amend will be affirmed if proper on any grounds stated in the demurrer, whether or not the court acted on that ground.” (Carman v. Alvord (1982) 31 Cal.3d 318, 324.) In reviewing the complaint, “we must assume the truth of all facts properly pleaded by the plaintiffs, as well as those that are judicially noticeable.” (Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. v. City of La Habra (2001) 25 Cal.4th 809, 814.)
Further, “[i]f the court sustained the demurrer without leave to amend, as here, we must decide whether there is a reasonable possibility the plaintiff could cure the defect with an amendment. . . . If we find that an amendment could cure the defect, we conclude that the trial court abused its discretion and we reverse; if not, no abuse of discretion has occurred. . . . The plaintiff has the burden of proving that an amendment would cure the defect.” (Schifando v. City of Los Angeles (2003) 31 Cal.4th 1074, 1081, citations omitted (Schifando).) “[S]uch a showing can be made for the first time to the reviewing court . . . .” (Smith v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins. Co. (2001) 93 Cal.App.4th 700, 711, citation omitted.)
7
B. The Demurrer Was Properly Sustained
1. Gomes Has Not Identified a Legal Basis for an Action to Determine Whether MERS Has Authority to Initiate a Foreclosure Proceeding
California’s nonjudicial foreclosure scheme is set forth in Civil Code sections 2924 through 2924k, which “provide a comprehensive framework for the regulation of a nonjudicial foreclosure sale pursuant to a power of sale contained in a deed of trust.” (Moeller v. Lien (1994) 25 Cal.App.4th 822, 830 (Moeller).) “These provisions cover every aspect of exercise of the power of sale contained in a deed of trust.” (I. E. Associates v. Safeco Title Ins. Co. (1985) 39 Cal.3d 281, 285.) “The purposes of this comprehensive scheme are threefold: (1) to provide the creditor/beneficiary with a quick, inexpensive and efficient remedy against a defaulting debtor/trustor; (2) to protect the debtor/trustor from wrongful loss of the property; and (3) to ensure that a properly conducted sale is final between the parties and conclusive as to a bona fide purchaser.” (Moeller, at p. 830.) “Because of the exhaustive nature of this scheme, California appellate courts have refused to read any additional requirements into the non-judicial foreclosure statute.” (Lane v. Vitek Real Estate Industries Group (E.D. Cal. 2010) 713 F.Supp.2d 1092, 1098; see also Moeller, at p. 834 [“It would be inconsistent with the comprehensive and exhaustive statutory scheme regulating nonjudicial foreclosures to incorporate another unrelated cure provision into statutory nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings.”].)5
5 Although “California courts have repeatedly allowed parties to pursue additional remedies for misconduct arising out of a nonjudicial foreclosure sale when not
8
By asserting a right to bring a court action to determine whether the owner of the Note has authorized its nominee to initiate the foreclosure process, Gomes is attempting to interject the courts into this comprehensive nonjudicial scheme. As Defendants correctly point out, Gomes has identified no legal authority for such a lawsuit. Nothing in the statutory provisions establishing the nonjudicial foreclosure process suggests that such a judicial proceeding is permitted or contemplated.
In his declaratory relief cause of action, Gomes sets forth the purported legal authority for his first cause of action, alleging that Civil Code section 2924, subdivision (a), by “necessary implication,” allows for an action to test whether the person initiating the foreclosure has the authority to do so. We reject this argument. Section 2924, subdivision (a)(1) states that a “trustee, mortgagee, or beneficiary, or any of their authorized agents” may initiate the foreclosure process. However, nowhere does the statute provide for a judicial action to determine whether the person initiating the foreclosure process is indeed authorized, and we see no ground for implying such an action. (See Lu v. Hawaiian Gardens Casino, Inc. (2010) 50 Cal.4th 592, 596 [legislative intent, if any, to create a private cause of action is revealed through the language of the statute and its legislative history].) Significantly, “[n]onjudicial foreclosure is less expensive and more quickly concluded than judicial foreclosure, since there is no
inconsistent with the policies behind the statutes” (California Golf, L.L.C. v. Cooper (2008) 163 Cal.App.4th 1053, 1070), Gomes is not seeking a remedy for misconduct. He is seeking to impose the additional requirement that MERS demonstrate in court that it is authorized to initiate a foreclosure. As we will explain, such a requirement would be inconsistent with the policy behind nonjudicial foreclosure of providing a quick, inexpensive and efficient remedy. (See Moeller, supra, 25 Cal.App.4th at p. 830.)
9
oversight by a court, ‘[n]either appraisal nor judicial determination of fair value is required,’ and the debtor has no postsale right of redemption.” (Alliance Mortgage Co. v. Rothwell (1995) 10 Cal.4th 1226, 1236.) The recognition of the right to bring a lawsuit to determine a nominee’s authorization to proceed with foreclosure on behalf of the noteholder would fundamentally undermine the nonjudicial nature of the process and introduce the possibility of lawsuits filed solely for the purpose of delaying valid foreclosures.
Gomes cites three federal district court cases — two of which are unpublished —which he says recognize a right to bring a legal challenge to an entity’s authority to initiate a foreclosure process. (Weingartner v. Chase Home Finance, LLC (D. Nev. 2010) 702 F.Supp.2d 1276 (Weingartner); Castro v. Executive Trustee Services, LLC (D. Ariz. 2009, Feb. 23, 2009, No. CV-08-2156-PHX-LOA) 2009 U.S. Dist. Lexis 14134 (Castro); Ohlendorf v. Am. Home Mortgage Servicing (E.D. Cal. 2010, Mar. 31, 2010, No. CIV. S-09-2081 LKK/EFB) 2010 U.S. Dist. Lexis 31098 (Ohlendorf).)6 The cases are not controlling on us and, in any event, they are not on point, as none recognize a cause of action requiring the noteholder’s nominee to prove its authority to initiate a foreclosure proceeding. For instance, in Ohlendorf, the plaintiff alleged wrongful foreclosure on the ground that assignments of the deed of trust had been improperly
6 “Although we may not rely on unpublished California cases, the California Rules of Court do not prohibit citation to unpublished federal cases, which may properly be cited as persuasive, although not binding, authority.” (Landmark Screens, LLC v. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP (2010) 183 Cal.App.4th 238, 251, fn. 6, citing Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.1115.)
10
backdated, and thus the wrong party had initiated the foreclosure process. (Ohlendorf, supra, 2010 U.S. Dist. Lexis at *22-23.) No such infirmity is alleged here. Moreover, the district court cases from outside of California are inapposite because they do not apply California nonjudicial foreclosure law. The court in Weingartner, supra, 702 F.Supp.2d 1276, 1282-1283, allowed a plaintiff’s claim for injunctive relief to proceed when he produced evidence that the trustee that initiated the foreclosure was not in fact the trustee at the time and thus could not proceed under Nevada law. In Castro, supra, 2009 U.S. Dist. Lexis 14134, the court allowed a claim for declaratory relief to proceed to determine whether the defendants were entitled to enforce a promissory note through nonjudicial foreclosure when the documents before the court indicated that the entities initiating the foreclosure process may not have had the rights of the holder of the note as required by Arizona law. (Id. at *15-16.) It is also significant that in each of these cases, the plaintiff’s complaint identified a specific factual basis for alleging that the foreclosure was not initiated by the correct party. Gomes has not asserted any factual basis to suspect that MERS lacks authority to proceed with the foreclosure. He simply seeks the right to bring a lawsuit to find out whether MERS has such authority. No case law or statute authorizes such a speculative suit.7
7 As we understand Gomes’s first and second causes of action, he is alleging that MERS might not have been authorized by the current holder of the Note to initiate foreclosure proceedings, and he is entitled to bring a lawsuit to determine whether MERS was in fact authorized. Although we focus on this legal theory in addressing whether the demurrer was properly sustained, we note that certain portions of Gomes’s appellate briefing suggest he may be arguing that even if MERS was authorized by the noteholder to initiate a foreclosure, MERS would not have standing to do so. For example, Gomes
11
Gomes appears to acknowledge that California’s nonjudicial foreclosure law does not provide for the filing of a lawsuit to determine whether MERS has been authorized by the holder of the Note to initiate a foreclosure. He argues, however, that we should nevertheless interpret the statute to provide for such a right because the “Legislature may not have contemplated or had time to fully respond to the present situation.” That argument should be addressed in the first instance to the Legislature, not the courts. Because California’s nonjudicial foreclosure statute is unambiguously silent on any right to bring the type of action identified by Gomes, there is no basis for the courts to create such a right. We therefore conclude that the trial court properly sustained Defendants’ demurrer to the first and second causes of action in Gomes’s complaint.8
cites a Kansas case holding that MERS did not have standing to intervene in a judicial foreclosure case. (Landmark Nat’l Bank v. Kesler (Kan. 2009) 216 P.3d 158, 166.) Gomes also contends that other out-of-state cases have found that “MERS’ limited role means it lacks independent standing to foreclose, or independent power to convey standing by transferring a note.” If, by citing these cases, Gomes means to argue that MERS lacks standing in California to initiate a nonjudicial foreclosure, the argument is without merit because under California law MERS may initiate a foreclosure as the nominee, or agent, of the noteholder. As we have explained, Civil Code section 2924, subdivision (a)(1) states that a “trustee, mortgagee, or beneficiary, or any of their authorized agents” may initiate the foreclosure process. (Italics added.)
8 As we sustain the demurrer on another ground, we need not and do not consider whether, as the trial court ruled, the first cause of action fails on the ground that Gomes has not pled that he is prepared to tender the amount owing on the Note. (See Arnolds Management Corp. v. Eischen (1984) 158 Cal.App.3d 575, 578 (“It is settled that an action to set aside a trustee’s sale for irregularities in sale notice or procedure should be accompanied by an offer to pay the full amount of the debt for which the property was security.”].)
12
2. Gomes Agreed in the Deed of Trust That MERS Is Authorized to Initiate a Foreclosure Proceeding
As an independent ground for affirming the order sustaining the demurrer, we conclude that even if there was a legal basis for an action to determine whether MERS has authority to initiate a foreclosure proceeding, the deed of trust — which Gomes has attached to his complaint — establishes as a factual matter that his claims lack merit. As stated in the deed of trust, Gomes agreed by executing that document that MERS has the authority to initiate a foreclosure. Specifically, Gomes agreed that “MERS (as nominee for Lender and Lender’s successors and assigns) has . . . the right to foreclose and sell the Property.” The deed of trust contains no suggestion that the lender or its successors and assigns must provide Gomes with assurances that MERS is authorized to proceed with a foreclosure at the time it is initiated.9 Gomes’s agreement that MERS has the authority to
9 The parties debate in their briefing whether MERS should be considered a “beneficiary” of the deed of trust and thus authorized to initiate a foreclosure proceeding, regardless of whether it is authorized by the holder of the note, under the statutory provision stating that the beneficiary is entitled to initiate a foreclosure. (Civ. Code, § 2924, subd. (a)(1).) As the parties discuss, some federal district courts have observed that although identified as a “beneficiary” in a deed of trust, the role of MERS is not acting as a beneficiary as that term is commonly used, and that MERS in fact acts as a nominee, and thus an agent of the beneficiary. (See, e.g., Roybal v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (D. Nev., Dec. 9, 2010, No. 2:10-CV-750-ECR-PAL) 2010 U.S. Dist. Lexis 131287, *11 [“there is a near consensus among district courts in this circuit that while MERS does not have standing to foreclose as a beneficiary, because it is not one, it does have standing as an agent of the beneficiary where it is the nominee of the lender, who is the true beneficiary”]; Weingartner, supra, 702 F.Supp.2d at p. 1280 [“Calling MERS a ‘beneficiary’ is both incorrect and unnecessary . . . ,” and “[c]ourts often hold that MERS does not have standing as a beneficiary because it is not one, regardless of what a deed of trust says, but that it does have standing as an agent of the beneficiary where it is the nominee of the lender (who is the ‘true’ beneficiary).”].) However, because Civil Code section 2924, subdivision (a)(1) and the deed of trust permit MERS to initiate foreclosure
13
foreclose thus precludes him from pursuing a cause of action premised on the allegation that MERS does not have the authority to do so.
Relying on the terms of the applicable deeds of trust, courts have rejected similar challenges to MERS’s authority to foreclose. In Pantoja v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (N.D. Cal. 2009) 640 F.Supp.2d 1177, the federal district court pointed out that in the deed of trust, the plaintiff “distinctly granted MERS the right to foreclose through the power of sale provision, giving MERS the right to conduct the foreclosure process under [Civil Code s]ection 2924,” and therefore “[s]ince Plaintiff granted MERS the right to foreclose in his contract, his argument that MERS cannot initiate foreclosure proceedings is meritless.” (Id. at pp. 1189, 1190.) Similarly, another court pointed out that “[u]nder the mortgage contract, MERS has the legal right to foreclose on the debtor’s property. . . . MERS is the owner and holder of the note as nominee for the lender, and thus MERS can enforce the note on the lender’s behalf.” (Morgera v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (E.D. Cal., Jan. 11, 2010, No. 2:09-cv-01476-MCE-GGH) 2010 U.S. Dist. Lexis 2037, *22, citation omitted.) Following this same approach, we conclude that Gomes’s first and second causes of action lack merit for the independent reason that by entering into the deed of trust, Gomes agreed that MERS had the authority to initiate a foreclosure.
as a nominee (i.e., agent) of the noteholder, we need not, and do not, decide whether MERS is also a “beneficiary” as that term is used in California’s nonjudicial foreclosure statute.
14
3. Gomes Has Not Established That He Can Cure the Defects in His Complaint by Amending
We must also consider whether Gomes has shown that there is a reasonable probability that he could cure the defects that we have identified in the first and second causes of action. (Schifando, supra, 31 Cal.4th at p. 1081.) Gomes contends that he could amend his complaint to “plead more specific theories . . . on information and belief” such as those theories discussed in Ohlendorf, supra, 2010 U.S. Dist. Lexis 31098, and Weingartner, supra, 702 F.Supp.2d 1276.
To attempt to state a claim as in Ohlendorf, Gomes would have to plead that the specific party who initiated the foreclosure process was not the proper party to do so because assignments of the deed of trust were improperly backdated. (Ohlendorf, supra, 2010 U.S. Dist. Lexis 31098 at *22-23.) To conform to the theory pled in Weingartner, Gomes would have to plead that a trustee initiated the foreclosure proceeding but was not actually the trustee at the time. (Weingartner, supra, 702 F.Supp.2d at p. 1282.) However, Gomes has conceded that he cannot plead facts meeting those scenarios “because respondents have not recorded any assignments” or provided any descriptions of assignments. A ” ‘[p]laintiff may allege on information and belief any matters that are not within his personal knowledge, if he has information leading him to believe that the allegations are true’ ” (Doe v. City of Los Angeles (2007) 42 Cal.4th 531, 550, italics added), and thus a pleading made on information and belief is insufficient if it “merely assert[s] the facts so alleged without alleging such information that ‘lead[s] [the plaintiff] to believe that the allegations are true.’ ” (Id. at p. 551, fn. 5.) Because Gomes has
15
conceded that he has no specific information about assignments of the Note, he would not be able to plead on information and belief, based on facts leading him to believe they were true, the theories alleged in Ohlendorf and Weingartner. We therefore conclude that the trial court properly sustained the demurrer without leave to amend.
DISPOSITION
The judgment is affirmed.
IRION, J.
WE CONCUR:
NARES, Acting P. J.
MCINTYRE, J.

Gomes vs Mers California affirms the mers as a nominee to foreclose

MERS Can Foreclose in California, State Appeals Court Rules

February 23, 2011, 4:42 PM EST

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By Thom Weidlich

(Updates with Coakley spokeswoman’s comment in ninth paragraph.)

Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) — Merscorp Inc., operator of the electronic-registration system that contains about half of all U.S. home mortgages, has the right to foreclose on defaulted borrowers in California, a state appeals court ruled.

U.S. courts have differed in recent years on whether Merscorp’s Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, or MERS, unit has the right to bring a foreclosure action.

“Under California law MERS may initiate a foreclosure as the nominee, or agent, of the noteholder,” California Court of Appeal Justice Joan K. Irion in San Diego wrote in a Feb. 18 ruling.

Merscorp, based in Reston, Virginia, and owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and other mortgage- industry companies, said in a Feb. 16 announcement that it will propose a rule change to stop members from foreclosing in its name.

“It’s incorrect,” Ehud Gersten, the San Diego lawyer who brought the suit on behalf of the borrower, Jose Gomes, said of the ruling in a phone interview today. “I disagree with it completely.”

Gersten said he will appeal the decision.

Flood of Transfers

Merscorp was created in 1995 to improve servicing after county offices couldn’t deal with the flood of mortgage transfers, Karmela Lejarde, a MERS spokeswoman, said in an interview last year. MERS tracks servicing rights and ownership interests in mortgage loans on its electronic registry, allowing banks to buy and sell the loans without having to record the transfer with the county.

“The California decision validates the MERS process and procedures that we’ve used in nonjudicial states for many years,” Lejarde said in a statement today, referring to states such as California that don’t require court intervention to conduct foreclosures.

John L. O’Brien, the register of deeds for the southern part of Massachusetts’s Essex County, said in a statement yesterday that MERS has cost his district $22 million in recording fees, based on 148,663 MERS mortgages since 1998. O’Brien said he would forward that information to state Attorney General Martha Coakley. Coakley is investigating MERS, according to the Boston Globe in December. Amie Breton, a spokeswoman for Coakley, declined to comment.

Upheld Ruling

The California appeals court upheld a ruling that went against Gomes, who sued in 2009 to have the court declare that MERS couldn’t foreclose because the noteholder didn’t authorize it to. Gomes borrowed $331,000 in 2004 and was sent a notice of default in 2009, according to Irion’s decision.

The court, which heard arguments on the Gomes case the same day it released its decision, said that under the state’s “nonjudicial scheme” Gomes can’t bring such a lawsuit.

“Nowhere does the statute provide for a judicial action to determine whether the person initiating the foreclosure process is indeed authorized, and we see no ground for implying such an action,” wrote Irion, who was joined in her decision by the two other judges on the panel.

Asking MERS to demonstrate it has the right to foreclose “would be inconsistent with the policy behind nonjudicial foreclosure of providing a quick, inexpensive and efficient remedy” and would allow lawsuits to delay foreclosures, the judge wrote.

‘Speculative Suit’

Gomes didn’t allege any facts to suggest MERS lacked the right to foreclose, Irion said, calling his case “a speculative suit.” The state legislature would have to act to allow such litigation, she said.

Gomes also agreed, by signing the deed of trust securing the promissory note for the loan, that MERS had the authority to foreclose, the court said.

“Essentially, the Court of Appeal is saying that once somebody starts to foreclose,” borrowers “can’t seek any right from or question that person,” Gersten said in the interview. “The beneficiary under the deed of trust can authorize MERS to foreclose but they never did that. We don’t know who the beneficiary is.”

On Feb. 15, the appeals court ruled for MERS in a similar case brought by borrower Nancy G. Jimenez. Gersten, who also represents Jimenez, said he will appeal that decision.

MERS members have moved away from closing in MERS’s name because of confusion over its standing, Christopher L. Peterson, a law professor at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City who has written several articles on MERS, said in an interview last week.

‘Created Confusion’

MERS halted foreclosures in its name in Florida in 2006, according to rules on its website. Violation of the rule, which remains in effect, costs $10,000. Former Merscorp Chief Executive Officer R.K. Arnold said in a September 2009 deposition in an Alabama foreclosure case that MERS made that change because of a Florida court decision that “created confusion about whether we could” foreclose.

Merscorp announced Arnold’s retirement on Jan. 22.

The case is Gomes v. Countrywide Home Loans Inc., D057005, California Court of Appeal (San Diego).

 

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From the Dark side on Wrongful foreclosure

Defending Wrongful Foreclosure Actions in California

Nearly all foreclosure professionals and loan servicers are familiar with the process for a non-judicial foreclosure action in California. A notice of intent to foreclose is followed by a notice of default which is followed by a notice of trustee’s sale. The last step, the actual non-judicial foreclosure sale, usually occurs within approximately 120 days from the filing of the notice of default. For the vast majority of loans, the California non-judicial foreclosure process is an effective and relatively inexpensive method for a servicer to obtain its security. In most non-judicial foreclosures, the only court time and court costs involved are those for the usually uncontested municipal court unlawful detainer which is initiated by the servicer in order to obtain possession from former borrowers who refuse to vacate their former homes.

For a small but seemingly growing number of loans, the non-judicial foreclosure process has become rather judicial. To borrowers who choose to allocate their resources away from debt payment towards fighting a loan servicer’s right to its payments and its security, the nonjudicial foreclosure process is a war of attrition which ranges from the bankruptcy court, to superior court to municipal court. While serial bankruptcy filings are often a frustrating delay to a servicer obtaining possession of its security, the wrongful foreclosure action filed in superior court is potentially the most time consuming weapon in the arsenal of the litigious borrower.

What is a Wrongful Foreclosure Action?

A wrongful foreclosure action is an action filed in superior court by the borrower against the servicer, the holder of the note, and usually the foreclosing trustee. The complaint usually alleges that there was an “illegal, fraudulent or willfully oppressive sale of property under a power of sale contained in a mortgage or deed of trust.” Munger v. Moore (1970) 11 Cal.App.3d. 1. The wrongful foreclosure action is often brought prior to the non-judicial foreclosure sale in order to delay the sale, but the action may also be brought after the non-judicial foreclosure sale. In most cases, a wrongful foreclosure action alleges that the amount stated as due and owing in the notice of default is incorrect for one or more of the following reasons: an incorrect interest rate adjustment, incorrect tax impound accounts, misapplied payments, a forbearance agreement which was not adhered to by the servicer, unnecessary forced place insurance, improper accounting for a confirmed chapter 11 or chapter 13 bankruptcy plan. Wrongful foreclosure actions are also brought when the servicers accept partial payments after initiation of the wrongful foreclosure process, then continue with the foreclosure. Companion allegations for emotional distress and punitive damages usually accompany any wrongful foreclosure action.

The causes of action alleged in a wrongful foreclosure action filed in California may include the following: breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, violation of Business and Professions Code Section 17200 (Unfair Business Practices), quiet title, wrongful foreclosure (violation of Civil Code Section 2924), accounting and/or promissory estoppel.

The reciprocal nature of attorney fees provisions in all real property notes and deeds of trust dictate that any wrongful foreclosure action be taken seriously. Damages available to a borrower in a wrongful foreclosure action are an amount sufficient to compensate for all detriment proximately caused by the servicer or trustee’s wrongful conduct. Civil Code Section 3333. Damages are usually measured by value of the property at the time of the sale in excess of the mortgage and lien against the property. Munger v. Moore (1970) 11 Cal.App.3d. 1. Additionally, the borrower may also obtain damages for emotional distress in a wrongful foreclosure action. Young v. Bank of America (1983) 141 Cal.App.3d 108; Anderson v. Heart Federal Savings & Loan Assn. (1989) 208 Cal.App.3d. 202. Further, if the borrower can prove by clear and convincing evidence that the servicer or trustee was guilty of fraud, oppression or malice in its wrongful conduct, punitive damages may be awarded.

How Can a Wrongful Foreclosure Action Delay Recovery of the Security?

A wrongful foreclosure suit filed in superior court will not necessarily delay a servicer’s recovery of its security. The companion filings to such a suit (notice of pending action, injunction and/or motion to consolidate) however can delay a servicer’s ultimate recovery. Delay caused by a wrongful foreclosure action can be anywhere from forty-five days to two years.

A notice of pending action (“lis pendens”) is the most common companion to a wrongful foreclosure action. A lis pendens is recorded in the county in which the real property security is located at the time the wrongful foreclosure action is filed. The only requirement for a lis pendens to be recorded is an attorney’s signature that the action which is being noticed actually involves a real property claim. The purpose of the lis pendens is to put all third parties on notice that the borrower and the servicer are litigating over the real property security. Once a lis pendens is recorded, no title insurance company will issue a title insurance policy unless and until the lis pendens is removed. Although the servicer may “bond around” the lis pendens without title insurance, the real property security is virtually inalienable.

A summary procedure for removing a lis pendens is provided in the California Code of Civil Procedure Section 405.3 et seq. This section allows a “mini trial” on the merits of the borrower’s claim. At the “mini trial”, the borrower must establish the probable validity of his/her claim by a preponderance of the evidence. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 405.32. If the borrower cannot establish his or her claim by a preponderance of evidence, the lis pendens is expunged. The penalty for the borrower who wrongfully records a notice of pending action is that, in most cases, the court directs such a borrower to pay the servicer’s attorneys’ fees. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 405.38.

While a lis pendens can be filed at any time in the foreclosure process, a borrower applies for an injunction prior to the foreclosure sale with the intent of keeping the foreclosure sale at bay until issues in the lawsuit are resolved. The lawsuit can take anywhere from ten to twenty-four months. Generally, an injunction will only be issued if it appears to the court that: (1) the borrower is entitled to the injunction; and (2) that if the injunction is not granted, the borrower will be subject to irreparable harm. Like an action to expunge a lis pendens, a borrower’s application for an injunction is essentially a “mini-trial” on the merits. California Civil Code of Civil Procedure Section 526 et seq.

The issue at stake in nearly all injunctive relief action applications is the amount due and owing on the note and deed of trust. For the injunction hearing, it is imperative that the servicer provide a detailed analysis of the amount it contends is due and owing on the note and deed of trust at issue. If for some reason the servicer is unable to provide a breakdown of the amounts due and owing on the note and deed of trust at issue, or at least provide sufficient information to refute the borrower’s allegations, it is likely the injunction will be issued. In most cases, the injunction will be conditioned upon the borrower’s filing a significant bond and making timely debt payments. Upon occasion, judges who are not particularly enamoured with servicers and who are provided a heart wrenching tale in the borrower’s injunction application will issue minimal bonds and little or no debt service requirements. This worst case scenario translates into a servicer being unable to sell the security and receiving no payments on the underlying debt during the life of the lawsuit. Technically, modifications of injunctions are allowed for a change in law, a change in circumstances, or to prevent injustice. California Civil Code § 533. In reality, judges are loath to modify an injunction after it is issued and prior to a decision on the merits. Once an injunction with little or no debt service or bond is in place, the wrongful foreclosure suit will be a long and expensive process because the borrower has lost all incentive for a quick resolution of the action.

Another way borrowers delay a servicer’s recovery of its security through a wrongful foreclosure action is by consolidating their wrongful foreclosure action with their unlawful detainer action. Asuncion v. Superior Court (1980) 108 Cal. App. 3d 141. The Asuncion case which is usually relied upon by borrowers for consolidation contains an egregious fact scenario including clear fraud in the inducement of the loan. Judges however, do not limit the application of Asuncion to cases where fraud is alleged by the borrower. In applying Asuncion, a court can allow the unlawful detainer suit to be consolidated with the wrongful foreclosure action if there is a mere similarity of issues in the cases.

If the superior court allows consolidation, a servicer’s right to possession of the real property security will be stayed until a verdict for the servicer is obtained in the wrongful foreclosure action. Courts generally will condition such consolidation on borrower debt service payments. Again, though, the real property security will not be recovered until a final decision on the merits in the wrongful foreclosure action is reached. As discussed above, this can be anywhere from ten months to two years.

SELF-EXAMINATION: What to do when sued for a wrongful foreclosure?

The most important words in defending a wrongful foreclosure action are “critical self-examination”. Before determining strategy for the upcoming (possibly lengthy) lawsuit, it is critical to know if any of the borrower’s allegations of the servicers breach of duty are correct. If the borrower’s allegations are correct and the borrower wins the lawsuit, the servicer will have to unwind (or be precluded from conducting) the foreclosure sale, and pay the borrowers legal bill. Accordingly, the self-examination must be critical and comprehensive.

The necessary self-examination is much more than: Did we apply the payments correctly?… Yes… next question. In addition to reviewing proper payment application, the servicer should review all facets of servicing the loan in question. If we imposed force place insurance, did we have a right to do so? Did we inadvertently charge the escrow account (for excessive amount of taxes, for example)? Did we improperly account for a debtor with a confirmed bankruptcy plan? Did we adjust the interest rate correctly? Did we enter into a forbearance agreement to which we did not adhere? These are the types of questions a servicer needs to ask itself in preparing for a defense of a wrongful foreclosure action.

If, after a careful analysis of the borrower’s complaint, the servicer determines that an error was made, and given that the servicer may be required to pay for the borrower’s attorney, the question then becomes, what is the quickest way out of this lawsuit? For example, can the servicer rescind the sale, clarify negative credit information and get the borrower to dismiss the action? If the borrower appears intransigent and trial is likely, the servicer’s first concern should be to counter the “shifting” of attorney’s fees under the note.

“Offers in compromise” can counteract the shifting of the claims provided for in the note and deed of trust. Cal Code Civ. Proc. Section 998. An offer in compromise is a procedure which allows a servicer to determine the borrower’s likely damages and offer that sum to a borrower to settle the action. If the borrower refuses to settle and ultimately is awarded less than the servicer’s offer in compromise, the borrower will not recover his/her post-offer attorney fees and will be required to pay the servicer’s post-offer attorney fees. California Code Civil Procedure Section 998.

An offer in compromise is only appropriate if the borrower is “in it for the long haul,” is represented by an attorney and is likely to obtain a judgment in its favor. If the borrower is self-represented, an aggressive defense of significant discovery and early dispositive motions may be appropriate. Other areas of weakness in a borrower’s case may be lack of damages and lack of standing. As Munson v. Moore, supra indicates if there is no equity at the time of the alleged wrongful foreclosure sale, the borrower may not have suffered recoverable damages. The borrower’s standing to bring the action may be successfully attacked if the borrower has filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy protection to delay eviction or if the borrower can be declared a vexatious litigant. If a review of the borrower’s origination file uncovers material misrepresentations of fact, a counter-suit for mortgage fraud may be appropriate. The best strategy for defending a wrongful foreclosure action is never delay for delay’s sake.

If the servicer, after an exhaustive self-examination, determines that the borrower’s lawsuit is not justified, the goal shifts from control of damages to obtaining possession and clean title as soon as possible. Usually, the best method for this is the motion to expunge lis pendens. This procedure, as discussed above, is usually a mini-trial on the merits. Oftentimes, after the lis pendens is expunged and the real property security is sold, the borrower’s motivation to litigate is lost. The strategies previously discussed are also available when the borrower’s suit is likely non-meritorious, but they are usually not necessary. If no lis pendens was recorded by the borrower, early aggressive discovery followed by an early summary judgment motion is often the best route available to the servicer for the early resolution of the action.

Conclusion: Can wrongful foreclosure actions be avoided?

All of the preventive actions that an army of lawyers could recommend will not dissuade the borrower who feels wronged by his bank and wants the bank “to pay” from filing a wrongful foreclosure action. Many marginal wrongful foreclosure actions can be avoided, however, if the servicer reviews every communication sent to a borrower, (note adjustment letter, bankruptcy coupon letter, partial payment acceptance letter, etc.); with the following critical question: can this communication be misunderstood by the borrower or can its meaning be twisted by a clever debtor’s lawyer? If the answer to this question is yes, can this letter be written in a manner which more completely protects the servicer’s interest? Additionally, the servicer must truly understand the numbers which comprise the amount due stated on the notice of default and be certain of their accuracy.

California law provides many unique procedural remedies which may be employed in battling a wrongful foreclosure action. Judicious use of these procedures by counsel and close coordination between counsel and client can lessen the pain of defending a wrongful foreclosure action

What Does Your Lender Think About Your Rights?

 

What lawyers who represent lenders and loan servicers really think about your attempt to fight to save your home from foreclosure.

Here is a recent email exchange I had with one of the large lender/loan servicers in regard to asserting my Client’s Truth in Lending rescission rights.

This email allows you to get a little flavor of what the big bad bailed out banks think about helping other people who need a bailout.

HERE WAS HIS EMAIL QUESTION TO ME:

It is a mystery to me why lawyers get involved with clients simply to delay the inevitable.  The only reason I’ve been able to fathom is that the lawyer gets paid instead of the bank, while the borrower continues to live in the house.  Doesn’t seem like a good way to keep one’s malpractice insurance premiums down.

I’m not suggesting that is what you’re doing here.  However, XXXXXXX must protect itself and the loan owner from such pointless shenanigans.

I’m not aware of a new date for the foreclosure sale, but this doesn’t mean that one hasn’t been set……

NOTICE HOW HE SEEMS INTENT ON LECTURING ME ABOUT MY MALPRACTICE INSURANCE AND ASSUMING EVERYTHING IS INEVITABLE.  IN HIS WORLD, THERE IS NO TAKING ON THE BANKS, NO QUESTIONING THE BANKS, NO DEFIANCE THAT WILL BE TOLERATED BY THE BANKS, THEY GOT THEIR MODIFICATION BUT HOW DARE YOU TRY TO ASSERT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY WHERE VALID TRUTH IN LENDING RESCISION RIGHTS WERE PRESENTED AS PROOF TO THIS GUY.  HERE IS MY RESPONSE TO THE GENTLEMAN.

XXXXXXXX,

 

I can appreciate your position here are a few mysteries I am looking for answers to:

(1) Why when banks get bailed out big time, do they act like no homeowner deserves a decent bailout?

(2) Why in all of my cases where I find a bona fide Truth in Lending (“TILA”) violation, does the lender always either (a) deny that the violation exists in the face of attached documentary evidence, or (b) refuse to even respond to a TILA rescission letter?

(3) Why do lenders/loan servicers routinely fail to address the question of who actually owns the loan? Or provide proof of such?

(4) Why do loan servicers routinely fail to respond, or fail to respond in a timely manner, to legitimate qualified written requests under RESPA?

(5) Why are lenders refusing to do short-sales at or near fair market values only to find that they get less at a foreclosure sale?

(6) Why are lenders/loan servicers routinely making blatantly false declarations under California Civil Code Section 2923.5?

(7) Why is California Civil code section 2923.6 routinely violated?

(8) Why do “lenders” continue to try to collect payments where the loan in question was already paid off via insurance, bailout money etc.?

(9) Why is it that MERS continues to try to pretend it is a beneficiary and foreclose on people?

(10) Why is it so many substitutions of trustee are invalid and the resulting Notice of Default invalid and not in compliance with California Foreclosure Laws?

(11) Why is it that other lawyers who represent banks (who are making out pretty nicely for their efforts) complaining about other lawyers who are fighting for Clients who want to keep their houses and exercise legal rights that they clearly have?

(12) Why won’t attorneys for lenders/investors be honest about sale dates?  Is there truly something to hide or is it a total lack of respect for attorneys who represent deadbeat homeowners?

As a lawyer, I am sure you are aware there are two sides of the coin here.  It is not a black and white issue.  Can you send me proof of who the owner of this loan is in the form of an indorsed promissory note that your client is in possession of?  I have not seen any proof.  Seriously, do not fault us for fighting for the rights of homeowners who are often facing severe financial hardship (usually for reasons out of their control – like a bogus economy), and who are fighting to keep a roof over their head, and using the legal rights the law affords them to fight the system that was setup to defeat them.

To your malpractice claim assertion, it is malpractice NOT to identify, stand-up and assert my Client’s legal rights – whatever you may think of them.

If you do not want to be straight up and inform us of the new sale date, and if foreclosure is inevitable, why not just tell me there is nothing that is going to be done, and the sale will occur whenever your Client feels like it.  I can live with that if you want to be honest.  If that is the truth let’s talk honestly about it.  I can handle the truth!

(parts omitted due to client confidentiality)

You are a beneficiary of this system partially created by your Clients, so I would not be flabbergasted by what you are dealing with.

This is a typical day in the life of dealing with big banks and fighting for our clients using every law that we can think of that may help in the fight to save a home from foreclosure.

Going hand in hand with this article, here is another post we posted discussing other reasons we work so hard to battle these banks:

Phoenix Foreclosure Defense Attorney strives to put the “TRUTH” back in Lending!

Some people have asked me, why are you passionate about foreclosure defense and helping Arizona homeowners? One of the answers I like to give is the following:

OUR MISSION: “WE ARE FIGHTING FOR “TRUTH IN LENDING” (a strange concept, i know!):

(1) WE ARE FIGHTING FOR TRUE AND ACCURATE DISCLOSURE OF A LOAN PRODUCT, ITS NATURE, AND TERMS (TELL PEOPLE THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LOANS THEY ARE LOCKING INTO). GIVE THEM THE CHARMS BOOKLET AND CALIFORNIA ARM DISCLOSURES

(2) WE ARE FIGHTING FOR TRUE AND FAIR DISCLOSURE OF THE PRICE-TAG FOR THE LOAN (APR AND FINANCE CHARGES THAT ARE TRUE AND ACCURATE). ACCURATE TRUTH IN LENDING STATEMENTS

(3) WE ARE FIGHTING FOR FAIR AND ACCURATE DISCLOSURE OF THE RIGHT TO CANCEL THE LOAN WHEN APPLICABLE (GIVE PEOPLE THEIR REQUIRED COPIES AND GIVE TRUE DATES UPON WHICH LOANS CAN BE RESCINDED)

(4) WE ARE FIGHITNG FOR FAIR AND HONEST UNDERWRITING THAT IS BASED UPON A CLIENTS TRUE ABILITY TO REPAY A LOAN (WHICH MAY MEAN VERIFYING INCOME AND TELLING SOME PEOPLE THEY DON’T QUALIFY) AND TRUE AND ACURATE APPRAISAL OF PROPERTY THAT SUPPORTS THE UNDERWRITING.

(5) WE ARE FIGHTING FOR FULL DISLCOSURE OF THE HOLDER OF THE LOAN (INVESTOR) AND PROOF AS TO WHO OWNS THE RIGHT TO BE PAID, AND THE RIGHT TO FORECLOSE, AND WHO MUST BY LAW CONTACT CALIFORNIA HOMEOWNERS TO DISCUSS LOAN MODIFICATIONS AND ASSESS BORROWER FINANCES.

(6) WE ARE FIGHTING FOR FULLFULL AND FAIR ACCOUNTING FOR PAYMENTS, LATE FEES, ESCROW CHARGES, AND OTHER CHARGES IN THE LOAN SERVICER’S BACK-ROOM. ANSWER THOSE QWR’S ON TIME, AND IN UNDERSTANDABLE DETAIL. STOP REPORTING NEGATIVE CREDIT DURING THIS PERIOD.

(7) WE ARE FIGHTING FOR HONESTY AND “TRUTH IN TRIAL PLANS” – IF HOMEOWNERS DON’T QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE RESTRUCTING / LOAN MODIFICATION, DON’T SEND THEM A TRIAL PLAN THAT LEADS THEM TO BELEIVE THEY DO. IN ADDITION, BE TRUTHFUL ABOUT THE PRECISE TERMS OF THE LOAN MODFIICATIONS (DISCLOSE THE TERMS CLEARLY) AND HONOR YOUR TRIAL PLAN AGREEMENTS.

ITS TIME THE LENDERS OPEN THE BOOKS AND SHOW US WHERE THE BAIL-OUT MONEY HAS GONE. WE NEED SOME TRANSPARENCY. WE NEED SOME ACCOUNTABILITY TO SHOW WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH TAX-PAYER MONEY. WAS YOUR LOAN ALREADY PAID OFF VIA THE BAILOUT, AND NOW THEY WANT TO COLLECT MORE MONEY FROM YOU FROM A LOAN THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ALREADY PAID? IF YOUR LOAN WAS SECURITIZED INTO A “LOAN POOL” IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOUR ENTIRE POOL OF LOAN WAS BAILED OUT AND PAID OFF? IF SO, DOES THAT MEAN THEY STILL GET TO COLLECT FROM YOU AS WELL? WHAT IS THAT? ISN’T THAT A WINDFALL……..UNJUST ENRICHMENT?

PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE REPRESENTED BY A FORECLOSURE DEFENSE LAWYER WHEN TRYING TO RESOLVE ONE OF BIGGEST PROBLEMS MOST HOMEOWNERS WILL EVER FACE. IN MANY CASES, A FORECLOSURE DEFENSE LAWYER CAN EVALUATE YOUR LOAN, REVIEW YOUR MORTGAGE DOCUMENTS (FORENSIC AUDIT), DEMAND THAT DEBTS BE VALIDATED, SEND MODIFICATION PROPOSALS, REVIEW TRIAL PLAN AND OTHER LOAN MODFICATION AGREEMENTS, ADVISE ON DEFICIENCY JUDGMENTS, DISCUSS POTENTIAL BANKRUPTCY AND SHORT-SALE OPTIONS, AND ENSURE THAT YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FORECLOSURE LAWS ARE ADHERED TO AND PROTECTED. THE BANKS HAVE EXPENSIVE LAWYERS ON THEIR TIME, YOU DESERVE TO BE REPRESENTED DURING THIS CONFUSING AND STRESSFUL ORDEAL. THIS IS THEIR GAME AND THEIR BATTLEFIELD.

IF YOU ARE AN ARIZONA HOMEOWNER PLEASE CONTACT US (877) 276-5084 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (877) 276-5084      end_of_the_skype_highlighting TO DISCUSS YOUR FORECLOSURE OR BANKRUPTCY CASE.

Neil Garfield

Good input from Neil Garfield:

MY ANSWER TO A QUESTION RECENTLY RECEIVED

1. The matter at hand is not legal, it is political. Your strategy must be to force the Judge into a corner and give him a way out that applies only to this case. There are 80 million mortgages that could be effected by a broad ruling in favor of a borrower or against MERS. If you read my recent articles you will see what I perceive to be the problem. I have no doubt that we are right on the law “on all four corners” — but that has been the case from the beginning. Your strategy and tactics must be courageous and push the Judge into the corner with a court reporter taking down every word. Remind the court reporter that under law, she works for you and NOT the Judge, so unless YOU tell her stop taking things down, she is to continue regardless of instruction from the bench.

2. I don’t think any negative case is legally a problem because your legislature sucks when it comes to writing legislation. I’ll analyze Vawter if you want me to, but it is distinguishable on several grounds. It will be easy to characterize the Washington statute, taken together with other sections as unique or at least unusual (even if it really isn’t) and then find ways to distinguish your case from others (even if it a distinction without a difference). The strategy should be to get the Judge to agree with you on SOMETHING that is a lynchpin of your case and work it from there. This isn’t about all cases, it is about this case.

3. MERS information is coming out daily. You ALWAYS have the option of introducing new evidence that was unavailable at the time of the last motion when it comes to MERS. Remember that JPMorgan Chase abandoned MERS for the same reasons we attack it. They did that in 2009. They are a party in your case.

4. The line that I am encouraging lawyers to use now is that a pretender who could not normally plead much less prove a regular judicial foreclosure case should not otherwise be allowed to prevail just because the court doesn’t have time to hear the case on the merits. That seemed to change the minds of even some tough judges. You might want to try it.

5. If the above statement is true, then it is necessary to make sure the parties are aligned properly. Do some research on this and you’ll find it is a very powerful procedural tool. Simply stated, the alignment of parties MUST be that the party seeking affirmative relief is the Plaintiff and must plead a full case with sufficient facts and exhibits such that relief could be granted of all the allegations and exhibits were true. That party is always the pretender in a foreclosure action. The fact that the rules require the borrower to “speak up” do not change the basic rules of due process and civil procedure. If the borrower denies the default, the authenticity of the documents, or otherwise denies the standing of the pretender, then the judicial foreclosure is over even if we stay in the same venue. At that point, the pretender must plead and prove  their case. The only burden on the borrower is a denial, which if not made in good faith subjects the borrower and attorney  to various sanctions.

6. If the above statement were untrue, then we would see the confusion that is now apparent in Washington State— the borrower is required to anticipate the case of the pretender, plead it, deny it and then accept the burden of proof of proving the borrower’s denial when the other side has not filed any pleading and the facts showing the failure of the pretender to have the ability to win on the merits are uniquely in the hands of the pretender, who won’t give it up despite Federal Law (TILA and RESPA).

7. A direct appeal under original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court of your state in mandamus on this issue is appropriate and I believe likely to succeed if placed in the hands of a competent appellate attorney.

8. The cases that are being decided either at trial level or the appellate level, are mostly picking at hairs. The simple question is whether the pretender can avoid pleading untrue facts and thus avoid the requirements of proving facts that only the creditor could plead and prove. If the answer is that the pretender wins, then the floodgates they are so worried about will really open because it gives any speculator a chance to set aside a previous foreclosure or to foreclose on any property that appears to be in default. There is already a popular scam across the country in which non-owners rent out the house as long as they can — many times for years. This is only possible because of the moral hazard introduced by the reticence of courts to apply black letter law that has existed for centuries and which is necessary to maintain an orderly society with certainty in the marketplace that the rights clearly set forth in the contracts, laws, rules, regulations and common law precedent will be applied in a consistent manner.

9. An example is the notice of default. Under the PSA the servicer is required to keep paying the creditor even if the borrower stops. There is no default. There is potentially a claim by the servicer against the homeowner for unjust enrichment but it certainly isn’t secured.

10. WAIVER: You can’t waive fraud. Every one of these loan closings was conducted under false pretenses with the real party advancing funds absent from the table (hence the term “Table funded loan, because the name of the lender is not present). The documentation thus refers to a  transaction that never occurred. Beyond that, the lender received an entirely different package of documents with terms and parties completely unknown and undisclosed to the borrower. The borrower and the lender never appear on the same document. Hence the documentation refers to a transaction that did NOT occur and the transaction that DID occur in which money was loaned to the borrower, is without documentation of any kind — i.e., documentation in which the borrower and lender agree to the same terms and conditions. The reference to the promissory note is a fraud.

11. SINGLE TRANSACTION RULE, STEP TRANSACTION DOCTRINE: The lender would never have accepted the deal were it not for the documentation the lender received (the bogus mortgage backed securities with the infamous AAA ratings based in part on the infamous fraudulently inflated property appraisals, relied upon by both lender and borrower). The borrower would never have accepted a deal wherein the real value of the property was considerably less than the principal due on the loan. Any reading of any chain of securitization documents can arrive at only one conclusion — there was no liability intended to accrue in favor of the lender or investor nor any recourse except in the unlikely even some money was received by a sub-servicer (serving at the will of the Master Servicer whose existence is hidden from both homeowner and investor). The bogus “bond” received by the lender was never signed by the borrower and unknown to most borrowers even today. THIS IS WHY YOU MUST CONCENTRATE ON THE SINGLE TRANSACTION DOCTRINE USED IN TAX LAW AND OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE FRAUD IS ALLEGED OR AT LEAST INFERRED. If you allow yourself to be drawn into a fight over the hairs of an individual document that neither the borrower nor the lender signed or even knew about, you are falling into the rabbit hole.

The ups and downs of real estate values in California

Single Family Homes Condominiums SFR Only
Community Name ZIP Code Sales of Single Family Homes Price Median SFR ($1,000) Price % Chg from Jan 2010 Sales Count Condos Price Median Condos ($1,000) Price % Chg from Jan 2010 Median Home Price/ Sq. Ft
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Countywide 3,549 $310 -4.6% 1,109 $265 -11.1% $226
Acton 93510 2 $331 -28.2% 1 $90 n/a $155
Agoura Hills 91301 9 $635 -17.3% 9 $350 -29.4% $283
Alhambra 91801 10 $425 -20.3% 7 $365 -3.2% $354
Alhambra 91803 4 $408 -17.3% 3 $360 16.1% $346
Altadena 91001 23 $463 11.4% n/a n/a n/a $349
Arcadia 91006 12 $897 -7.5% 2 $518 -22.7% $370
Arcadia 91007 12 $820 -17.0% 8 $458 -26.8% $433
Artesia 90701 7 $170 -38.2% n/a n/a n/a $234
Avalon 90704 2 $545 n/a n/a n/a n/a $632
Azusa 91702 20 $250 -16.4% 9 $165 4.8% $216
Baldwin Pk 91706 28 $244 -5.1% 11 $206 46.8% $200
Bell 90201 17 $225 12.5% 2 $159 -17.5% $182
Bellflower 90706 24 $308 -4.7% 8 $174 -6.2% $244
Beverly Hills 90210 13 $1,926 -35.9% 1 $735 -7.8% $467
Beverly Hills 90211 1 $1,258 6.6% 2 $528 -21.3% $694
Beverly Hills 90212 3 $2,100 52.2% 3 $850 0.0% $756
Burbank 91501 4 $623 -7.0% 9 $384 32.2% $413
Burbank 91502 1 $305 n/a 7 $230 -4.4% $332
Burbank 91504 10 $505 -19.6% 4 $375 4.5% $316
Burbank 91505 9 $469 0.9% n/a n/a n/a $353
Burbank 91506 10 $498 -0.4% n/a n/a n/a $352
Calabasas 91302 7 $1,010 -32.7% 13 $1,465 55.9% $363
Canoga Park 91303 5 $231 -26.0% 4 $165 -24.1% $231
Canoga Park 91304 16 $410 1.9% 12 $120 -1.6% $231
Canyon Ctry 91351 14 $255 -25.3% 7 $305 56.4% $178
Canyon Ctry 91387 16 $430 10.3% 13 $210 -23.1% $181
Carson 90745 20 $278 -4.5% 13 $159 72.8% $211
Carson 90746 11 $307 -9.6% 1 $404 67.3% $194
Castaic 91384 11 $310 -21.2% 7 $270 -23.9% $161
Cerritos 90703 14 $534 0.2% 9 $295 -28.0% $328
Chatsworth 91311 23 $412 -12.3% 6 $245 -6.0% $201
Claremont 91711 13 $410 -9.5% 4 $423 25.8% $200
Compton 90220 39 $179 3.8% 1 $90 11.9% $158
Compton 90221 24 $200 11.4% 1 $290 n/a $170
Compton 90222 19 $164 16.5% n/a n/a n/a $150
Covina 91722 20 $295 -6.3% 1 $156 -35.2% $233
Covina 91723 5 $327 -2.4% n/a n/a n/a $221
Covina 91724 6 $408 -11.3% 3 $230 13.9% $255
Culver City 90230 6 $433 -33.5% 9 $340 -0.8% $356
Culver City 90232 1 $711 12.6% n/a n/a n/a $467
Diamond Br 91765 18 $487 -10.7% 15 $260 8.3% $246
Downey 90240 19 $423 7.0% 3 $250 -20.1% $259
Downey 90241 16 $405 12.5% 3 $120 n/a $258
Downey 90242 15 $325 -2.3% 2 $221 n/a $238
Duarte 91010 9 $267 -5.5% 6 $231 -34.6% $265
El Monte 91731 13 $320 11.1% 1 $250 n/a $242
El Monte 91732 13 $270 -6.9% 9 $282 -23.0% $247
El Monte – S 91733 11 $300 -11.8% 1 $250 6.4% $252
El Segundo 90245 4 $618 -24.7% 3 $420 -4.3% $418
Encino 91316 10 $535 31.1% 13 $235 -13.8% $278
Encino 91436 7 $830 -35.1% n/a n/a n/a $394
Gardena 90247 13 $273 0.3% 9 $242 16.6% $246
Gardena 90248 2 $348 -21.0% n/a n/a n/a $280
Gardena 90249 12 $295 -14.4% 1 $173 -61.2% $297
Glendale 91201 8 $645 12.7% 1 $310 -5.3% $335
Glendale 91202 11 $490 -14.8% 4 $275 -14.7% $359
Glendale 91203 3 $238 -31.0% 3 $325 -24.9% $335
Glendale 91204 n/a n/a n/a 2 $214 n/a n/a
Glendale 91205 2 $402 -3.5% 2 $216 -36.8% $355
Glendale 91206 9 $585 -13.3% 4 $212 -24.5% $332
Glendale 91207 1 $1,415 95.0% 1 $330 53.5% $486
Glendale 91208 2 $600 -4.0% n/a n/a n/a $333
Glendora 91740 8 $328 9.2% 3 $277 2.4% $233
Glendora 91741 11 $515 -11.8% 2 $388 4.1% $235
Granada Hls 91344 35 $400 -4.8% 3 $250 -3.8% $233
Hacienda Ht 91745 21 $320 -9.9% 7 $220 -17.0% $246
Harbor City 90710 5 $385 5.5% 7 $275 -28.1% $245
Hawaiian Gn 90716 3 $220 15.8% 4 $154 16.2% $163
Hawthorne 90250 22 $300 5.9% 2 $295 7.3% $228
Hermosa Bh 90254 8 $1,100 2.3% 2 $608 -40.7% $432
Huntngtn Pk 90255 16 $258 -4.1% 5 $160 83.9% $185
Inglewood 90301 4 $218 -20.9% 5 $109 -36.9% $254
Inglewood 90302 5 $230 17.9% 5 $125 -7.4% $206
Inglewood 90303 5 $224 -19.3% n/a n/a n/a $197
Inglewood 90304 4 $223 14.1% n/a n/a n/a $242
Inglewood 90305 10 $279 -18.1% 3 $197 -32.2% $214
LA 90003 23 $140 -5.1% n/a n/a n/a $127
LA 90004 9 $703 -21.2% 1 $304 -12.0% $386
LA 90006 4 $345 -5.5% 4 $275 -27.6% $156
LA 90010 n/a n/a n/a 1 $379 3.0% n/a
LA 90011 18 $160 0.0% n/a n/a n/a $151
LA 90012 n/a n/a n/a 10 $253 -12.8% n/a
LA 90015 n/a n/a n/a 7 $336 1.8% n/a
LA 90016 15 $280 7.7% 5 $184 11.5% $217
LA 90018 13 $270 31.7% 2 $396 n/a $203
LA 90019 15 $491 3.0% 1 $345 1.5% $230
LA 90020 n/a n/a n/a 7 $121 -24.4% n/a
LA 90023 7 $140 -30.0% n/a n/a n/a $156
LA 90027 8 $760 0.1% n/a n/a n/a $398
LA 90029 2 $148 -54.6% n/a n/a n/a $308
LA 90034 7 $598 24.6% 2 $412 29.8% $418
LA 90035 7 $807 -24.9% 6 $433 -9.9% $480
LA 90036 2 $813 -0.9% 2 $458 n/a $432
LA 90037 10 $211 -0.9% n/a n/a n/a $128
LA 90039 14 $400 11.9% n/a n/a n/a $377
LA 90047 44 $244 28.3% n/a n/a n/a $191
LA 90057 n/a n/a n/a 1 $70 n/a n/a
LA 90062 15 $260 42.5% n/a n/a n/a $163
LA 90063 8 $130 -37.0% n/a n/a n/a $157
La Canada F 91011 14 $960 12.9% n/a n/a n/a $438
La Crescnta 91214 16 $552 -15.7% 3 $395 n/a $357
La Mirada 90638 25 $357 -6.1% 7 $506 33.2% $264
La Puente 91744 43 $241 3.8% 6 $220 -28.1% $204
La Puente 91746 10 $260 -5.1% 1 $147 -12.5% $196
La Verne 91750 13 $390 -16.6% 3 $150 0.0% $238
LA/AugFHw 90044 26 $154 -8.6% n/a n/a n/a $152
LA/AugFHw 90059 27 $131 -12.8% 1 $160 n/a $124
LA/AugFHw 90061 15 $195 21.9% n/a n/a n/a $149
LA/Bldwn H 90008 8 $460 48.4% 1 $295 n/a $217
LA/Bel-Air 90077 7 $1,750 -13.3% 2 n/a n/a $513
LA/Boyle Ht 90033 4 $198 -5.4% 1 $270 n/a $122
LA/Brentwd 90049 7 $1,540 -2.2% 12 $533 -32.6% $693
LA/Centry C 90067 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
LA/CyofCom 90040 2 $222 -11.4% n/a n/a n/a $248
LA/Dockwlr 90007 1 $280 7.7% n/a n/a n/a $230
LA/Eagle Rk 90041 12 $352 -20.9% n/a n/a n/a $360
LA/East LA 90022 16 $197 -13.2% n/a n/a n/a $205
LA/Echo Pk 90026 7 $340 -6.1% n/a n/a n/a $266
LA/ElSereno 90032 23 $275 3.8% 2 $180 9.1% $227
LA/Firstn Pk 90001 12 $133 20.9% n/a n/a n/a $162
LA/Glassell 90065 23 $328 -8.3% n/a n/a n/a $265
LA/Highld P 90042 20 $375 49.8% 2 $275 10.0% $334
LA/Hollywd 90028 2 $508 36.4% 3 $323 -36.6% $474
LA/Hollywd 90068 15 $830 -2.5% 3 $273 -33.3% $435
LA/Ladera H 90056 5 $533 -29.9% 1 $159 -51.2% $238
LA/Lincln H 90031 5 $180 -52.0% 1 $130 n/a $194
LA/Mar Vsta 90066 9 $685 -2.0% 3 $450 -3.9% $483
LA/Rncho P 90064 17 $800 -10.0% 1 $430 -19.2% $502
LA/Sanford 90005 1 $420 -39.4% 4 $323 -10.7% $228
LA/VPk/WH 90043 30 $278 23.3% 1 $60 n/a $199
LA/Watts 90002 28 $131 9.2% n/a n/a n/a $123
LA/West LA 90025 4 $907 -2.3% 10 $507 -8.3% $579
LA/Westchtr 90045 13 $625 -10.6% 1 $191 n/a $440
LA/Westwd 90024 4 $2,324 -18.5% 11 $495 7.0% $625
Lake Hughes 93532 6 $130 85.7% n/a n/a n/a $104
Lakewood 90712 12 $365 -3.7% n/a n/a n/a $284
Lakewood 90713 23 $378 -10.5% n/a n/a n/a $299
Lakewood 90715 18 $327 -13.0% 3 $205 n/a $275
Lancaster 93534 37 $95 -14.4% 2 $49 n/a $68
Lancaster 93535 97 $105 8.5% 1 $32 -37.3% $64
Lancaster 93536 63 $183 -3.9% 2 $58 -32.4% $84
Lawndale 90260 8 $300 -4.8% 2 $420 68.0% $301
Littlerock 93543 18 $104 1.0% n/a n/a n/a $76
Llano 93544 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Lomita 90717 10 $446 27.3% 2 $313 -22.9% $265
Long Beach 90802 3 $399 n/a 27 $180 -2.7% $292
Long Beach 90803 11 $750 -17.6% 10 $330 -34.7% $543
Long Beach 90804 6 $215 -55.2% 12 $119 16.2% $263
Long Beach 90805 25 $245 2.1% 3 $79 7.9% $205
Long Beach 90806 15 $320 -9.9% n/a n/a n/a $248
Long Beach 90807 11 $363 -15.0% 3 $135 -30.1% $251
Long Beach 90808 32 $444 -12.2% n/a n/a n/a $325
Long Beach 90810 15 $235 -5.2% n/a n/a n/a $208
Long Beach 90813 11 $208 5.4% 2 $165 4.9% $206
Long Beach 90814 2 $570 -10.2% 4 $216 -21.4% $420
Long Beach 90815 14 $436 -12.3% 2 $212 -33.9% $317
Los Angeles 90021 n/a n/a n/a 1 $500 75.4% n/a
Los Angeles 90058 1 $170 n/a n/a n/a n/a $149
Lynwood 90262 20 $225 7.1% n/a n/a n/a $182
Malibu 90265 3 $1,250 -54.5% 6 $528 -36.4% $776
Manhattan B 90266 18 $1,555 5.0% 2 $1,538 26.9% $599
Marina del R 90292 3 $1,300 -11.9% 14 $550 -8.2% $436
Maywood 90270 4 $225 38.5% n/a n/a n/a $176
Mission Hills 91345 9 $309 0.3% 2 $220 0.0% $201
Monrovia 91016 9 $405 -13.8% 4 $382 -14.8% $317
Montebello 90640 13 $338 -1.3% 8 $143 -29.4% $255
Monterey Pk 91754 11 $455 2.9% 3 $380 -19.8% $327
Monterey Pk 91755 3 $490 2.3% 3 $386 -34.3% $274
Montrose 91020 3 $540 -12.2% 1 $300 -30.2% $389
Newhall 91321 11 $284 -22.6% 6 $203 4.5% $213
North Hills 91343 20 $330 -12.6% 18 $206 10.8% $198
N Hollywd 91601 10 $419 17.3% 1 $280 n/a $348
N Hollywd 91602 2 $685 1.5% 2 $328 -0.8% $397
N Hollywd 91605 22 $305 0.6% 3 $230 142.1% $202
N Hollywd 91606 13 $320 -5.9% 5 $250 4.2% $231
Northridge 91324 14 $341 -20.1% 4 $220 -21.4% $212
Northridge 91325 17 $391 7.1% 4 $136 n/a $220
Northridge 91326 11 $530 -1.4% 6 $648 26.0% $239
Norwalk 90650 51 $280 1.3% 7 $230 -9.8% $212
P Palisades 90272 15 $1,425 -36.6% 1 $640 4.1% $674
Pacoima 91331 43 $243 -2.8% 6 $143 -29.6% $181
Palmdale 93550 58 $113 7.1% 9 $48 2.1% $73
Palmdale 93551 57 $183 -15.3% 5 $100 -31.0% $86
Palmdale 93552 50 $145 0.0% n/a n/a n/a $75
Palmdale 93591 11 $75 18.6% n/a n/a n/a $54
Palos V Pen 90274 14 $1,525 19.6% 1 $615 -18.0% $516
Panorama C 91402 21 $255 -7.3% 17 $129 -7.9% $203
Paramount 90723 8 $200 -9.1% 8 $125 8.7% $165
Pasadena 91101 1 $300 n/a 12 $485 61.7% $134
Pasadena 91103 12 $425 49.1% n/a n/a n/a $287
Pasadena 91104 26 $517 20.3% 5 $313 12.8% $343
Pasadena 91105 3 $1,628 148.0% 1 $611 25.0% $450
Pasadena 91106 6 $1,048 -26.5% 12 $356 -8.2% $475
Pasadena 91107 19 $465 -28.5% 3 $385 n/a $394
Pearblossom 93553 2 $180 n/a n/a n/a n/a $91
Pico Rivera 90660 30 $266 -4.9% 3 $310 -1.6% $247
Playa dl Rey 90293 2 $1,301 -7.1% 6 $368 -13.9% $451
Playa Vista 90094 n/a n/a n/a 7 $519 -3.2% n/a
Pomona 91766 28 $203 7.5% 6 $194 -2.0% $154
Pomona 91767 31 $215 4.1% 4 $106 -12.1% $149
Pomona 91768 9 $179 -18.9% 3 $315 n/a $161
Rancho PV 90275 20 $828 -1.4% 7 $418 -26.6% $418
Redondo Bh 90277 8 $1,028 20.9% 7 $581 -19.3% $459
Redondo Bh 90278 11 $665 9.8% 16 $643 -1.0% $373
Reseda 91335 30 $285 -13.6% 15 $215 19.4% $215
Rosemead 91770 19 $348 -20.2% 2 $278 -22.7% $342
Rowland Hts 91748 19 $420 -4.1% 2 $170 -29.2% $250
San Dimas 91773 8 $421 0.8% 5 $295 -11.3% $241
Sn Fernando 91340 18 $218 12.4% n/a n/a n/a $197
San Gabriel 91775 11 $635 13.4% 1 $735 n/a $331
San Gabriel 91776 10 $439 -12.1% 5 $415 50.9% $299
San Marino 91108 3 $1,848 26.1% n/a n/a n/a $562
San Pedro 90731 12 $343 -31.0% 4 $233 -47.1% $257
San Pedro 90732 10 $459 -23.5% 7 $200 -46.8% $344
Snta Clarita 91350 20 $375 -6.3% 12 $246 -20.6% $209
Snta Clarita 91390 14 $455 -4.2% n/a n/a n/a $169
Santa Fe Spr 90670 8 $308 -3.3% n/a n/a n/a $230
Snta Monica 90401 n/a n/a n/a 1 $655 -30.1% n/a
Snta Monica 90402 7 $2,013 3.2% 1 $1,675 60.7% $772
Snta Monica 90403 1 $1,385 -51.8% 8 $494 -35.2% $827
Snta Monica 90404 n/a n/a n/a 7 $522 -8.4% n/a
Snta Monica 90405 9 $900 -29.4% 9 $509 -10.9% $603
Shermn Oks 91403 8 $752 -10.0% 4 $299 -3.6% $297
Shermn Oks 91423 14 $677 -28.7% 2 $299 -12.1% $362
Sierra Mdre 91024 3 $645 -26.0% 1 $615 23.2% $394
Signal Hill 90755 2 $635 n/a 3 $295 13.5% $285
South Gate 90280 30 $235 4.4% 5 $230 -8.0% $212
S Pasadena 91030 6 $758 -16.1% 4 $328 -35.8% $463
Stevenson R 91381 4 $630 -3.0% 9 $295 -37.2% $233
Studio City 91604 15 $837 3.6% 5 $413 -0.5% $399
Sun Valley 91352 15 $240 -9.4% 3 $142 -16.6% $206
Sunland 91040 20 $375 4.9% 3 $237 -23.3% $253
Sylmar 91342 38 $315 4.9% 23 $172 -16.1% $199
Tarzana 91356 18 $780 -2.0% 18 $175 -36.0% $287
Temple City 91780 13 $510 -11.1% 3 $255 -43.3% $353
Topanga 90290 7 $800 -14.1% 2 $328 -41.0% $328
Torrance 90501 11 $475 18.8% 3 $290 -24.5% $318
Torrance 90502 5 $225 -19.9% 8 $249 25.8% $257
Torrance 90503 7 $583 -9.4% 12 $440 -26.1% $431
Torrance 90504 16 $450 5.9% n/a n/a n/a $305
Torrance 90505 11 $728 12.8% 2 $298 -20.7% $398
Tujunga 91042 22 $332 -20.1% 2 $236 5.1% $242
Valencia 91354 10 $386 10.3% 14 $326 6.0% $182
Valencia 91355 7 $361 -25.6% 13 $253 -20.8% $257
Valley Vlge 91607 14 $520 -9.6% 1 $400 12.7% $287
Van Nuys 91401 15 $497 13.7% 3 $330 50.0% $280
Van Nuys 91405 9 $328 9.2% 8 $160 25.7% $225
V Nuys/LB 91406 33 $315 6.2% 6 $163 -11.7% $217
V Nuys/SO 91411 4 $272 -36.9% 4 $150 -50.0% $221
Venice 90291 4 $920 -35.0% 1 $765 -19.0% $794
Walnut 91789 25 $625 15.7% 1 $299 -17.2% $278
West Covina 91790 20 $325 -5.8% 2 $295 43.7% $240
West Covina 91791 7 $365 -12.0% 7 $250 -15.3% $228
West Covina 91792 6 $321 -9.1% 6 $250 24.8% $234
West Hills 91307 21 $455 -3.8% n/a n/a n/a $259
W Hlywd/LA 90038 4 $412 -5.3% 1 $388 -17.3% $294
W Hlywd/LA 90046 21 $863 -4.2% 9 $326 -39.0% $494
W Hlywd/LA 90048 4 $1,020 -17.3% 2 $495 29.9% $627
W Hlywd/LA 90069 8 $863 -47.7% 16 $400 -11.5% $574
Whittier 90601 15 $316 -20.1% 3 $205 14.5% $218
Whittier 90602 6 $325 -35.1% 1 $228 -34.7% $281
Whittier 90603 4 $370 -9.8% n/a n/a n/a $250
Whittier 90604 14 $315 -1.7% 2 $215 24.3% $224
Whittier 90605 19 $272 0.7% n/a n/a n/a $216
Whittier 90606 14 $260 -4.1% n/a n/a n/a $261
Wilmington 90744 15 $268 3.3% n/a n/a n/a $188
Winnetka 91306 20 $320 -8.4% 6 $210 40.5% $208
Woodlnd Hls 91364 21 $525 -8.7% 1 $765 259.2% $280
Woodlnd Hls 91367 22 $478 -4.5% 14 $239 -25.5% $258
Single Family Residences Condominiums SFR Only
ORANGE COUNTY SFR Price % chg Condos Price % chg $/Sq Ft
Countywide 1,249 $480 -2.0% 582 $282 -6.0% $283
Aliso Viejo 92656 21 $480 -11.1% 33 $285 -17.9% $211
Anaheim 92801 17 $310 -8.8% 12 $279 -34.9% $260
Anaheim 92802 5 $375 11.0% 7 $280 -3.1% $232
Anaheim 92804 31 $350 0.0% 12 $151 -8.5% $257
Anaheim 92805 24 $296 -8.6% 2 $233 37.6% $241
Anaheim 92806 9 $370 -5.5% 1 $155 -26.2% $232
Anaheim Hls 92807 13 $450 -2.7% 3 $229 27.2% $272
Anaheim Hls 92808 14 $627 -12.9% 9 $315 -3.1% $220
Balboa Islnd 92662 1 $2,395 55.0% n/a n/a n/a $1,774
Brea 92821 22 $445 -11.4% 1 $369 16.2% $250
Brea 92823 3 $700 -12.5% 1 $320 n/a $269
Buena Park 90620 25 $370 1.2% 1 $211 -10.2% $276
Buena Park 90621 20 $333 -12.5% 2 $267 -1.3% $203
Capistrno B 92624 3 $610 14.0% n/a n/a n/a $146
Corona d Mr 92625 12 $1,570 -12.5% 6 $885 -38.8% $756
Costa Mesa 92626 17 $523 3.6% 4 $320 -8.7% $311
Costa Mesa 92627 20 $520 39.6% 8 $395 12.9% $343
Cypress 90630 22 $450 11.4% 3 $335 3.2% $293
Dana Point 92629 13 $590 -9.2% 7 $470 4.5% $341
Foothill Rch 92610 7 $500 -20.2% 4 $248 -10.5% n/a
Fountain Vly 92708 27 $572 -4.7% 1 $149 -39.6% $296
Fullerton 92831 12 $512 5.6% 7 $265 -17.8% $270
Fullerton 92832 7 $329 -6.0% 5 $51 1.0% $273
Fullerton 92833 29 $445 -5.1% 10 $375 -6.0% $274
Fullerton 92835 10 $755 18.9% 2 $180 -1.0% $323
Garden Grv 92840 26 $364 2.0% 8 $218 49.3% $283
Garden Grv 92841 15 $373 -6.8% 2 $167 -30.4% $312
Garden Grv 92843 16 $380 11.8% 5 $150 -14.3% $292
Garden Grv 92844 13 $335 12.2% 2 $203 -28.9% $222
Garden Grv 92845 9 $430 -16.9% 2 $266 -2.5% $330
Huntingtn B 92646 26 $575 -12.3% 13 $336 0.1% $355
Huntingtn B 92647 16 $487 -11.9% 6 $217 3.1% $341
Huntingtn B 92648 15 $726 -19.3% 10 $369 -4.8% $339
Huntingtn B 92649 14 $840 10.3% 11 $278 -24.4% $395
Irvine 92602 6 $928 31.8% 7 $475 -10.2% n/a
Irvine 92603 7 $1,200 -5.3% 8 $608 8.6% $503
Irvine 92604 9 $568 3.2% 8 $434 24.1% $386
Irvine 92606 7 $690 15.3% 2 $349 -38.8% $299
Irvine 92612 5 $590 5.3% 9 $400 -7.1% $324
Irvine 92614 2 $799 22.8% 9 $480 15.2% $401
Irvine 92618 3 $431 -40.2% 6 $515 71.7% $441
Irvine 92620 17 $645 -14.1% 16 $530 6.9% $306
La Habra 90631 23 $365 -6.4% 3 $144 -30.0% $269
La Palma 90623 9 $439 -24.3% n/a n/a n/a $250
Ladera Rnch 92694 14 $833 45.5% 8 $354 -4.3% n/a
Laguna Bch 92651 27 $1,020 -16.7% 3 $1,000 95.9% $848
Laguna Hills 92653 17 $560 4.2% 8 $210 -17.6% $282
Laguna Nigl 92677 37 $685 -1.4% 16 $299 10.7% $288
Laguna Wds 92637 n/a n/a n/a 23 $227 24.0% n/a
Lake Forest 92630 19 $466 -13.8% 20 $208 -5.7% $274
Los Alamitos 90720 9 $702 -1.4% 1 $425 n/a $423
Midway City 92655 2 $405 -1.6% 1 $236 n/a $375
Mission Vjo 92691 19 $505 3.4% 9 $209 -12.0% $255
Mission Vjo 92692 45 $525 -14.4% 13 $335 -4.3% $268
Newport Bh 92660 22 $1,190 -19.0% 3 $1,291 162.9% $394
Newport Bh 92661 2 $2,575 -47.2% n/a n/a n/a $1,033
Newport Bh 92663 9 $1,785 44.2% 10 $515 3.0% $1,000
Newport Cst 92657 11 $1,890 11.2% 3 $795 34.7% $602
Orange 92865 5 $372 -15.4% 6 $245 16.7% $229
Orange 92866 3 $410 -16.6% 1 $500 49.9% $334
Orange 92867 15 $440 -9.2% 1 $205 -57.7% $257
Orange 92868 2 $309 -10.2% 4 $180 -40.0% $246
Orange 92869 19 $577 -6.6% 9 $345 -2.3% $261
Placentia 92870 19 $433 0.7% 5 $210 -44.0% $227
Rancho S M 92688 20 $496 -7.8% 30 $316 0.3% $265
San Clemnte 92672 22 $680 1.5% 5 $342 -0.9% $345
San Clemnte 92673 18 $745 17.3% 13 $428 14.0% $330
San Juan C 92675 18 $443 27.3% 12 $274 76.6% $239
Santa Ana 92701 6 $244 -14.4% 11 $110 18.9% $226
Santa Ana 92703 25 $260 8.3% 8 $150 32.3% $230
Santa Ana 92704 23 $305 -12.7% 16 $148 3.7% $253
Santa Ana 92705 19 $615 -12.4% 4 $172 14.3% $308
Santa Ana 92706 15 $354 -1.7% 3 $180 30.2% $267
Santa Ana 92707 21 $265 0.0% 12 $140 -19.3% $237
Seal Beach 90740 7 $885 12.0% 1 $657 105.2% $493
Silverado 92676 2 $403 -46.3% n/a n/a n/a $454
Stanton 90680 8 $254 -20.6% 10 $180 -11.1% $213
Sunset Bch 90742 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Surfside 90743 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Trabuco Cyn 92678 1 $112 n/a n/a n/a n/a $148
Trabuco Cyn 92679 22 $675 -4.5% 4 $271 -8.4% $267
Tustin 92780 18 $448 -6.8% 13 $182 4.0% $294
Tustin 92782 6 $812 -4.5% 6 $428 13.2% $267
Villa Park 92861 2 $825 -7.8% n/a n/a n/a $316
Westminster 92683 43 $400 -4.1% 4 $320 144.3% $273
Yorba Linda 92886 26 $566 -15.5% 7 $238 -10.4% $300
Yorba Linda 92887 10 $660 -4.7% 7 $210 -19.2% $300
Single Family Residences Condominiums SFR Only
RIVERSIDE COUNTY SFR Price % chg Condos Price % chg $/Sq Ft
Countywide 2,273 $189 0.0% 286 $147 -1.5% $98
Aguanga 92536 1 $185 1.4% n/a n/a n/a $93
Anza 92539 5 $120 31.1% n/a n/a n/a $71
Banning 92220 29 $93 32.1% 3 $99 -33.6% $73
Beaumont 92223 59 $187 -6.5% 1 $128 -11.4% $81
Blythe 92225 4 $90 -30.0% n/a n/a n/a $76
Blythe 92226 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Cabazon 92230 2 $61 -15.4% n/a n/a n/a $46
Calimesa 92320 10 $158 3.3% n/a n/a n/a $111
Canyon Lake 92587 18 $210 -12.5% 3 $90 n/a $115
Cathedrl Cty 92234 47 $159 -6.5% 9 $126 20.0% $90
Coachella 92236 41 $127 -15.3% n/a n/a n/a $68
Corona 91719 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Corona 91720 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Corona 92879 38 $280 12.0% 7 $100 -42.9% $148
Corona 92880 62 $349 -5.7% 2 $263 n/a $121
Corona 92881 28 $330 1.5% 2 $238 4.4% $156
Corona 92882 36 $300 14.9% 11 $128 16.1% $158
Corona 92883 50 $285 -7.5% 1 $258 n/a $132
Desert Ctr 92239 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Dsrt Hot Spr 92240 76 $87 -2.3% 2 $36 -15.9% $57
Dsrt Hot Spr 92241 12 $80 -24.9% n/a n/a n/a $60
Hemet 92543 23 $98 30.7% 1 $44 3.5% $71
Hemet 92544 53 $128 4.7% n/a n/a n/a $77
Hemet 92545 71 $127 -12.4% 1 $73 -19.0% $69
Homeland 92548 1 $300 -15.5% n/a n/a n/a n/a
Idyllwild 92549 9 $170 -2.9% n/a n/a n/a $107
Indian Wells 92210 12 $1,250 42.0% 10 $370 1.4% $304
Indio 92201 65 $131 -12.4% 9 $70 30.2% $82
Indio 92203 65 $203 -1.2% 5 $105 -50.8% $80
La Quinta 92253 76 $251 -23.9% 19 $345 25.5% $118
Lake Elsinre 92530 65 $151 -8.5% 7 $111 20.1% $96
Lake Elsinre 92532 29 $217 -3.8% 3 $132 7.8% $84
Mecca 92254 1 $27 -67.5% n/a n/a n/a n/a
Menifee 92584 56 $207 1.6% n/a n/a n/a $91
Mira Loma 91752 29 $265 -10.2% 2 $194 -0.4% $134
Moreno Vly 92551 47 $144 5.9% 3 $105 16.7% $92
Moreno Vly 92552 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Moreno Vly 92553 55 $126 -0.4% 1 $130 n/a $90
Moreno Vly 92555 48 $215 4.8% 2 $107 1.4% $82
Moreno Vly 92557 50 $160 3.2% 1 $48 n/a $94
Mountn Ctr 92561 1 $360 n/a n/a n/a n/a $100
Murrieta 92562 60 $250 -0.2% 6 $145 29.5% $107
Murrieta 92563 71 $245 -2.0% 14 $112 0.4% $96
Norco 92860 26 $333 4.1% n/a n/a n/a $145
N Palm Spr 92258 1 $42 n/a n/a n/a n/a $41
Nuevo 92567 6 $147 -9.8% n/a n/a n/a $92
Palm Desert 92211 40 $319 -12.1% 25 $216 -28.0% $151
Palm Desert 92260 15 $205 -17.3% 27 $165 -33.1% $115
Palm Sprngs 92262 36 $250 -4.8% 25 $115 -8.8% $136
Palm Sprngs 92264 19 $405 13.1% 19 $149 -30.3% $184
Perris 92570 36 $163 20.4% n/a n/a n/a $88
Perris 92571 72 $155 9.9% 2 $93 -3.1% $75
Rancho Mrg 92270 19 $455 -6.2% 22 $326 -2.0% $187
Riverside 92501 14 $144 -7.4% 1 $137 70.2% $98
Riverside 92503 54 $180 -2.7% 7 $125 47.1% $122
Riverside 92504 47 $170 -2.9% 3 $218 n/a $127
Riverside 92505 23 $188 19.4% 2 $145 -32.0% $133
Riverside 92506 44 $225 1.1% n/a n/a n/a $149
Riverside 92507 23 $168 -6.9% 9 $135 28.6% $110
Riverside 92508 28 $278 -3.5% n/a n/a n/a $116
Riverside 92509 50 $170 12.4% 3 $104 22.4% $114
San Jacinto 92582 27 $160 2.2% n/a n/a n/a $61
San Jacinto 92583 31 $125 0.0% 1 $64 n/a $69
Sun City 92585 30 $186 9.4% n/a n/a n/a $85
Sun City 92586 29 $132 -1.1% 1 $50 -28.6% $77
Temecula 92590 1 $975 143.8% n/a n/a n/a $150
Temecula 92591 39 $285 10.9% 2 $183 -4.8% $119
Temecula 92592 74 $280 7.7% 7 $150 30.4% $130
Thermal 92274 5 $106 -31.9% n/a n/a n/a $56
Thousand P 92276 4 $181 44.4% n/a n/a n/a $109
White Water 92282 2 $45 -67.2% n/a n/a n/a $31
Wildomar 92595 35 $211 -6.2% n/a n/a n/a $97
Winchester 92596 36 $235 3.5% 5 $120 29.7% $90
Single Family Residences Condominiums SFR Only
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SFR Price % chg Condos Price % chg $/Sq Ft
Countywide 1,861 $150 3.4% 152 $122 -9.6% $95
Adelanto 92301 53 $95 14.5% n/a n/a n/a $52
Angeles Oks 92305 1 $62 n/a n/a n/a n/a $51
Apple Valley 92307 42 $122 -3.9% n/a n/a n/a $63
Apple Valley 92308 41 $99 -15.0% n/a n/a n/a $60
Barstow 92311 26 $65 47.7% n/a n/a n/a $41
Big Bear Cty 92314 41 $133 -2.7% n/a n/a n/a $112
Big Bear Lke 92315 24 $243 3.4% 2 $238 101.5% $171
Bloomington 92316 28 $149 8.0% n/a n/a n/a $109
Blue Jay 92317 1 $58 n/a n/a n/a n/a $97
Cedar Glen 92321 3 $40 -64.3% n/a n/a n/a $45
Cedarpns Pk 92322 1 $443 580.8% n/a n/a n/a $166
Chino 91710 40 $295 3.5% 13 $180 0.0% $176
Chino Hills 91709 51 $415 -11.7% 9 $213 3.4% $214
Colton 92324 42 $130 8.3% 5 $40 -30.4% $95
Crest Park 92326 1 $160 n/a n/a n/a n/a $154
Crestline 92325 17 $74 -34.3% n/a n/a n/a $77
Daggett 92327 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Fawnskin 92333 2 $255 -17.6% n/a n/a n/a $190
Fontana 92334 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Fontana 92335 67 $163 20.4% 6 $43 -46.5% $120
Fontana 92336 114 $268 7.0% 1 $60 n/a $119
Fontana 92337 32 $192 3.0% 2 $74 -8.1% $123
Forest Falls 92339 2 $95 n/a n/a n/a n/a $83
Grand Terrce 92313 6 $213 6.8% n/a n/a n/a $129
Green Vly Lk 92341 3 $135 90.1% n/a n/a n/a $161
Helendale 92342 19 $142 -11.3% 4 $134 131.0% $68
Hesperia 92344 27 $145 -3.3% n/a n/a n/a $65
Hesperia 92345 121 $107 -3.8% n/a n/a n/a $62
Highlands 92346 32 $168 2.3% 7 $29 -59.9% $102
Hinkley 92347 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Joshua Tree 92252 16 $50 -37.3% n/a n/a n/a $48
Lke Arrowhd 92352 30 $280 -28.2% 2 $208 -28.1% $133
Landers 92285 7 $35 -35.8% n/a n/a n/a $46
Loma Linda 92354 23 $255 -7.3% n/a n/a n/a $133
Lucerne Vly 92356 5 $45 -25.0% n/a n/a n/a $36
Lytle Creek 92358 4 $207 47.9% n/a n/a n/a $114
Mentone 92359 4 $165 -24.4% 2 $53 64.1% $96
Montclair 91763 16 $235 5.9% 4 $167 18.3% $177
Morongo Vly 92256 6 $67 -10.3% n/a n/a n/a $62
Needles 92363 2 $115 76.9% n/a n/a n/a $60
Newbry Spr 92365 1 $88 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Ontario 91761 30 $245 -5.6% 6 $79 -37.2% $142
Ontario 91762 25 $230 -8.0% 14 $107 -0.5% $147
Ontario 91764 27 $200 8.1% 4 $132 -9.5% $164
Oro Grande 92368 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Phelan 92371 13 $112 -17.2% n/a n/a n/a $67
Pinon Hills 92372 10 $148 13.9% n/a n/a n/a $82
Pioneertown 92268 1 $38 n/a n/a n/a n/a $95
R Cucamnga 91701 25 $340 -5.3% 8 $137 152.8% $179
R Cucamnga 91730 31 $255 -9.7% 14 $166 -24.5% $176
R Cucamnga 91737 13 $299 -30.5% 5 $85 -29.2% $191
R Cucamnga 91739 27 $400 -6.8% 8 $190 -17.2% $157
Redlands 92373 17 $275 -10.6% 1 $145 n/a $182
Redlands 92374 32 $199 -4.6% 1 $61 n/a $123
Rialto 92376 74 $155 13.6% 5 $105 22.8% $106
Rialto 92377 27 $197 -2.4% n/a n/a n/a $109
Rim Forest 92378 2 $56 n/a n/a n/a n/a $52
Running Spr 92382 14 $95 -0.5% n/a n/a n/a $77
San Brndno 92401 1 $51 -27.1% 1 $35 n/a $39
San Brndno 92404 50 $119 22.9% 4 $75 72.4% $84
San Brndno 92405 30 $95 6.4% 4 $52 -7.6% $78
San Brndno 92407 49 $150 11.1% 5 $60 -17.2% $101
San Brndno 92408 9 $141 56.9% n/a n/a n/a $96
San Brndno 92410 29 $73 7.0% 1 $41 -3.5% $67
San Brndno 92411 21 $100 33.3% n/a n/a n/a $82
Sky Forest 92385 1 $450 89.9% n/a n/a n/a $177
Sugarloaf 92386 10 $60 -35.8% n/a n/a n/a $84
Trona 93562 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
29 Palms 92277 18 $55 -14.0% n/a n/a n/a $56
Twin Peaks 92391 3 $71 -17.1% n/a n/a n/a $74
Upland 91784 19 $480 5.4% n/a n/a n/a $168
Upland 91786 22 $255 -4.7% 8 $141 -37.2% $170
Victorville 92392 70 $124 2.9% n/a n/a n/a $59
Victorville 92394 69 $115 4.5% n/a n/a n/a $57
Victorville 92395 47 $109 -3.1% 1 $44 n/a $59
Wrightwood 92397 5 $120 -33.9% n/a n/a n/a $92
Yermo 92398 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Yucaipa 92399 40 $240 9.1% 1 $233 142.1% $115
Yucca Valley 92284 38 $65 -18.8% n/a n/a n/a $57
Single Family Residences Condominiums SFR Only
SAN DIEGO COUNTY SFR Price % chg Condos Price % chg $/Sq Ft
Countywide 1,364 $350 1.4% 746 $200 -0.7% $202
Alpine 91901 8 $433 8.3% 3 $110 -35.4% $182
Bay Park 92110 3 $525 -16.2% 11 $257 4.9% $317
Bonita 91902 11 $460 -3.7% n/a n/a n/a $179
Bonsall 92003 1 $869 47.1% 1 $105 -49.9% $230
Borrego Spr 92004 9 $203 50.0% 1 $255 n/a $111
Boulevard 91905 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Campo 91906 5 $173 208.0% n/a n/a n/a $92
Cardiff bSea 92007 7 $425 -42.5% 1 $1,180 n/a $337
Carlsbad 92008 7 $490 -19.0% 6 $418 -3.0% $323
Carlsbad 92009 22 $783 10.6% 11 $335 13.0% $262
Carlsbad 92010 10 $507 18.2% 2 $379 1.1% $247
Carlsbad 92011 15 $675 15.2% 3 $620 49.4% $276
Chula Vista 91910 25 $315 -3.1% 15 $175 -2.8% $193
Chula Vista 91911 38 $285 15.7% 19 $135 -4.3% $182
Chula Vista 91913 31 $400 11.1% 16 $190 -4.0% $163
Chula Vista 91914 11 $509 -10.7% 7 $221 5.2% $178
Chula Vista 91915 23 $350 -15.7% 17 $227 -10.2% $189
Clairemont 92117 30 $408 7.2% 6 $201 34.0% $287
College Grve 92115 20 $280 -17.0% 15 $101 -8.2% $216
Coronado 92118 10 $1,190 -2.9% 3 $900 -13.9% $611
Del Mar 92014 4 $1,363 29.7% 4 $445 -33.7% $555
Descanso 91916 1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Downtown 92101 n/a n/a n/a 56 $305 -2.2% n/a
Dulzura 91917 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
E San Diego 92102 10 $190 1.1% 6 $88 -50.0% $184
E San Diego 92105 20 $206 -4.2% 12 $109 45.3% $204
El Cajon 92019 21 $318 -23.4% 12 $136 -19.3% $198
El Cajon 92020 20 $360 30.7% 17 $96 -0.5% $175
El Cajon 92021 22 $305 4.7% 16 $123 -8.9% $186
Encanto 92114 51 $243 10.6% 3 $173 -21.6% $167
Encinitas 92024 23 $745 -2.0% 10 $325 -16.7% $296
Escondido 92025 21 $285 3.6% 10 $126 6.8% $189
Escondido 92026 40 $296 -11.0% 6 $125 27.2% $169
Escondido 92027 24 $271 28.5% 11 $95 11.8% $179
Escondido 92029 12 $479 -22.2% 2 $218 51.0% $226
Fallbrook 92028 42 $351 16.9% 1 $159 n/a $168
Grantville 92120 11 $394 -12.4% 8 $218 54.3% $268
Hillcrest 92103 9 $652 -15.3% 14 $345 4.5% $371
Imperial Bch 91932 5 $325 30.0% 4 $188 63.0% $270
Jacumba 91934 2 $34 -60.6% n/a n/a n/a $34
Jamul 91935 6 $396 -7.5% n/a n/a n/a $97
Julian 92036 9 $298 19.2% n/a n/a n/a $163
La Jolla 92037 17 $1,143 -32.4% 18 $589 12.7% $532
La Mesa 91941 14 $425 8.8% 1 $170 97.7% $182
La Mesa 91942 12 $340 14.5% 6 $193 -7.2% $250
Lakeside 92040 21 $288 -9.1% 6 $100 -13.0% $172
Lemon Grve 91945 15 $230 -6.1% 3 $120 3.4% $177
Linda Vista 92111 17 $360 -21.9% 16 $155 -49.2% $243
Logan Hts 92113 13 $160 6.7% 5 $90 -27.5% $145
Mira Mesa 92126 25 $379 -1.7% 18 $190 -18.1% $239
Mission Vlge 92123 6 $328 -30.5% 8 $276 -18.1% $262
National Cty 91950 26 $219 21.7% 11 $147 -46.5% $153
Normal Hts 92116 13 $445 31.1% 11 $130 -7.5% $358
North Cty W 92130 23 $966 17.7% 15 $400 -3.6% $314
North Park 92104 12 $410 7.2% 14 $181 -28.6% $363
Ocean Bch 92107 6 $589 -34.4% 6 $247 -7.9% $461
Oceanside 92054 10 $420 25.4% 8 $236 -21.6% $187
Oceanside 92056 43 $316 1.9% 2 $105 -45.7% $198
Oceanside 92057 33 $269 -10.3% 12 $173 44.0% $183
Pacific Bch 92109 8 $595 -25.8% 15 $230 -33.3% $492
Palomar Mtn 92060 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Paradise Hls 92139 12 $270 6.5% 13 $128 -7.9% $173
Pauma Vly 92061 1 $595 -30.0% 3 $139 n/a $219
Pine Valley 91962 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Point Loma 92106 4 $580 -33.1% 3 $285 -56.8% $422
Potrero 91963 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Poway 92064 29 $484 27.2% 3 $290 -4.9% $260
Ramona 92065 27 $313 2.6% 1 $135 0.7% $160
Ranchita 92066 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Rcho Bnardo 92127 15 $630 -17.4% 18 $248 3.1% $247
Rcho Bnardo 92128 25 $510 4.1% 28 $253 0.5% $259
Rcho Pnasq 92129 12 $488 -13.3% 11 $205 6.2% $278
Rcho Sta Fe 92067 10 $1,530 -14.5% 1 $690 n/a $519
Rcho Sta Fe 92091 5 $800 24.0% n/a n/a n/a $315
San Carlos 92119 10 $385 -6.1% 8 $158 16.2% $234
San Diego 92108 n/a n/a n/a 33 $180 -25.0% n/a
San Diego 92112 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
San Marcos 92069 23 $315 -3.2% 8 $146 27.0% $181
San Marcos 92078 24 $415 -16.2% 14 $235 -16.1% $218
San Ysidro 92173 7 $220 -22.8% 6 $120 25.8% $178
Santa Ysabel 92070 1 $288 21.5% n/a n/a n/a $149
Santee 92071 23 $278 -14.6% 18 $183 7.0% $201
Scripps Rch 92131 21 $615 7.9% 7 $297 -15.8% $277
Solana Bch 92075 9 $850 -22.7% 1 $340 -50.6% $371
S San Diego 92154 27 $255 1.4% 17 $170 15.3% $168
Spring Vly 91977 32 $240 -12.7% 3 $98 -30.0% $151
Spring Vly 91978 9 $380 33.3% n/a n/a n/a $169
Tierrasanta 92124 7 $545 -11.2% 6 $285 -3.0% $281
Univrsty Cty 92121 2 $655 -3.2% 4 $354 -6.7% $295
Univrsty Cty 92122 6 $613 4.4% 14 $250 25.0% $350
Valley Ctr 92082 14 $448 -3.3% n/a n/a n/a $151
Vista 92081 11 $361 8.4% 4 $281 28.7% $199
Vista 92083 11 $251 7.6% 4 $132 -27.6% $162
Vista 92084 21 $327 3.8% n/a n/a n/a $169
Warner Spr 92086 1 $55 n/a n/a n/a n/a $54
Single Family Residences Condominiums SFR Only
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SFR Price % chg Condos Price % chg $/Sq Ft
Countywide 156 $271 -13.1% 31 $200 -21.6% $160
Buellton 93427 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Carpinteria 93013 2 $863 76.0% 5 $350 6.1% $697
Goleta 93117 8 $708 18.4% 5 $330 -28.6% $377
Guadalupe 93434 4 $185 115.7% n/a n/a n/a $127
Lompoc 93436 27 $185 -13.6% 8 $97 -10.6% $119
Sta Barbara 93101 6 $500 -26.4% n/a n/a n/a $465
Sta Barbara 93103 4 $590 -33.5% n/a n/a n/a $202
Sta Barbara 93105 6 $810 -3.5% 1 $410 -37.0% $357
Sta Barbara 93108 4 $3,150 26.8% 1 $890 n/a $838
Sta Barbara 93109 7 $1,063 9.0% n/a n/a n/a $630
Sta Barbara 93110 3 $1,053 -52.7% 3 $627 103.9% $528
Sta Barbara 93111 6 $993 80.0% n/a n/a n/a $455
Santa Maria 93454 22 $225 15.5% 2 $185 10.5% $139
Santa Maria 93455 33 $271 -6.6% 6 $129 -24.3% $169
Santa Maria 93458 17 $190 0.0% n/a n/a n/a $145
Santa Ynez 93460 3 $510 -27.1% n/a n/a n/a $230
Solvang 93463 2 $390 -40.5% n/a n/a n/a $278
Summerland 93067 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Single Family Residences Condominiums SFR Only
VENTURA COUNTY SFR Price % chg Condos Price % chg $/Sq Ft
Countywide 385 $398 1.9% 154 $238 -16.5% $230
Camarillo 93010 25 $413 -1.1% 5 $365 12.3% $236
Camarillo 93012 14 $540 6.0% 16 $269 -9.4% $242
Fillmore 93015 7 $295 22.9% 1 $268 239.2% $169
Moorpark 93021 23 $515 37.3% 6 $212 -34.9% $210
Newbury Pk 91320 19 $633 2.4% 7 $151 -41.0% $254
Oak Park 91377 6 $576 1.1% 4 $347 107.3% $324
Oak View 93022 5 $240 4.3% n/a n/a n/a $162
Ojai 93023 15 $614 42.8% n/a n/a n/a $256
Oxnard 93030 14 $288 -17.9% 6 $283 -10.3% $178
Oxnard 93033 27 $238 -15.2% 9 $169 47.0% $190
Oxnard 93035 24 $528 6.1% 7 $242 -41.8% $230
Oxnard 93036 17 $295 0.0% 6 $221 -19.7% $202
Piru 93040 2 $86 -64.9% n/a n/a n/a $59
Pt Hueneme 93041 3 $305 2.3% 17 $160 -0.6% $189
Santa Paula 93060 6 $278 -5.5% 3 $96 -8.6% $257
Simi Valley 93063 33 $430 7.2% 10 $180 -35.5% $234
Simi Valley 93065 36 $380 -7.5% 10 $251 -28.4% $214
Somis 93066 2 $662 145.0% n/a n/a n/a $331
Thousand O 91360 25 $465 -10.2% 6 $223 -19.4% $258
Thousand O 91362 18 $712 -1.2% 19 $340 -18.1% $284
Ventura 93001 15 $249 -22.2% 8 $196 -44.8% $312
Ventura 93003 24 $365 -21.5% 11 $220 -11.6% $248
Ventura 93004 13 $379 3.8% 2 $225 -26.4% $235
Westlke Vlge 91361 10 $680 13.3% 10 $330 0.6% $296

This percentage also correlates to a higher percentage of foreclosures in areas where the has been the greatest decline in real estate values. As bankruptcy lawyer we have found a greater percentage in Bankruptcy filings in the cities with the gratest decline in real estate values. Forclosure litigation in the counties with the gretest decline has also increased. Chase has reported that the are being sued in over 10,000 cases across the country as reported in thier 10-k report this past Friday Feb 25,  2011.

SERS not MERS!

If you have been a reader of The Hallmark Abstract Sentinel then by now you are aware of MERS and the controversy that surrounds it. The Mortgage Electronic Recording System has been at the heart of questionable foreclosures due to standing issues, as well as for having aided in the avoidance of untold millions in recording fees not paid to counties.

It was only a matter of time before someone came up with a way to digitize marriage recordings in a system known as SERS, the Spouse Electronic Recording System (H/T 4closure Fraud).

SERS | SPOUSE ELECTRONIC RECORDING SYSTEM

Mike, on February 21, 2011 at 7:01 am said:

I have finally come to one conclusion: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!

My proposal is quite simple–a paperless marriage recording system, called SERS, (Spouse Electronic Recording System) for the electronic recording of marriages. To avoid the high costs of (not to mention the hassle of) the filing of marriage certificates, a SERS member would be able to simply record himself or herself as a “nominee” for A marriage to A spouse. The SERS system will record that A marriage has taken place, but the person to whom the SERS member becomes married does not have to be specified until just prior to the termination of the marriage–via divorce or death.

In this manner, one is able to “leave one’s options open.” It is a perfect system for those who would like the stability of the institution of marriage, yet, at the same time, yearn for the flexibility of non-commitment. It announces to the world, “I’m married–I’m just not saying to whom it is that I am married.”

Mind you–the flexibility provided by SERS would have its limits. For example, a SERS marriage could only be assigned to a SERS member, and the marriage would have to be “officiated” by a SERS authorized officer. Nevertheless, virtually anyone with a pulse, $25 for an official SERS certifying officer stamp, an ink jet printer, and access to a SERS terminal could become a certifying officer of SERS. (And then there is Provision K, the “Kunkle Provision,” which provides for dead certifying officers, as well.)

At the “consecration” of the relationship–which is technically an “agency relationship,” the marriage will be given a SIN number, or Spouse Identification Number. In this manner, through the SIN number, any married person can track who their actual spouse is–except in the case of most situations–where the SERS member prefers to keep that information private. Rest assured, however, if you die or if you cause a divorce, a spouse will be assigned to you at least 30 days prior to such death or divorce, except in the case of most situations, where the spousal nominator doesn’t know what the heck is going on—wherein an assignment will be backdated to reflect that the spousal assignment transpired 30 days prior to said death or divorce.

Due to the high-tech nature of the proprietary data tracking software used by SERS, only one employee of SERSCORP will be necessary, and the cost of her salary and generous bonus structure will be virtually unnoticeable as it is skimmed off one marriage transaction fee at a time as SERS marital swaps are traded seamlessly Over The Counter through Cayman Island accounts. Due to the swapping functionality enabled by their individual (original) SINs, SERS marriages will facilitate the marital churning process without the pain, humiliation, or cost of conventional marital swapping. The cost of SERS transaction fees will be recouped in the sheer volume of marital business as marriage certificates are securitized into MBS (Marriage-Backed Securities.)

Keep in mind that many marital swaps can be transacted over the life of a SERS marriage, and the nominee spouse will be unaware of such arrangements. However, therein lies the genuine excitement that only fraud-ridden obfuscation could ever bring to a marriage. (Will my nominee spouse be long? Will my nominee spouse be short? Will my nominee spouse be naked? Will my nominee spouse purchase enhancements? Will my nominee spouse be synthetic? Will my nominee spouse be square?)

At SERSCORP…we’ll put the SERS in Sersprise!

This is of course a fiction…For now!

Foreclosure and too big to Fail – Bank Of America vs Wikileaks

TBR News February 20, 2011
Feb 20 2011
The Voice of the White House
Washinigton, D.C., February 20, 2011: “The most hated person today in Washington is Julian Assange, head of the WikiLeaks

An overall view of the Bank of America material now held by WikiLeaks reveals that starting in 2008, the Bank of America acquired Countrywide Mortgage, a very aggressive mortgage company that specialized in creating fraudulent loans to individuals that were unable to make continuing payments on their mortgages. Countrywide then sold these fraudulent mortgages to larger banking houses like Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and others. The results of this takeover of Countrywide? The Bank of America now has over 1.3 mortgage holders in foreclosure.

Bank of America was subsequently sued by California, Illinois and eight other states over its predatory lending policies. The bank was forced to produce a settlement of over $8.4 billion in loan relief plans for those victims holding Countrywide mortgages.

In June of 2010, Bank of America had to pay out $108 million because of a suit by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for “having extracted excessive fees” from their borrowers facing foreclosure. In August of 2010, Bank of America was forced to pay out $600 million to settle shareholder lawsuits which claimed that Bank of America’s Countrywide Mortgage had “concealed the riskiness” of its lending standards. In June of 2010, the State of Illinois once more had to sue the Bank of America for “racial discrimination” in its lending practices. The WikiLeaks documentation shows thousands of in-house emails circulating among top Bank of American personnel showing with shocking clarity that the bank was not only fully cognizant of the illegality of their actions but were, in fact, continuing these actions because of the assurance of protection by “senior American legislators and officials.”

Additional material in the WikiLeaks fundus concerns the brokerage house of Merrill Lynch which Bank of America acquired for $50 billion in January of 2009. The aforesaid “senior American legislators and officials: quicklyi loaned the Bank of America $20 billion in loans to facilitate this purchase. Subsequently, it was revealed that Merrill Lynch had lost over $16 billion at the end of 2008 but had paid out over $4 billion in bonuses to all the top Merrill Lynch personnel. In sum, the Merrill Lynch people, secure in the knowledge of a connived Federal bailout, took the funds for personal gain. The WikiLeaks documents clearly show all of this in detail, complete with boasting emails on the part of the recipients of the monies.

As another aspect of this enormous financial scandal furthered purely for gain, corporate and personal, the Bank of America has been the instigator of the so-called “robo-signing” scandal As a single example of this illegal conduct, in February of 2010, a Bank of American employee testified on deposition that they had personally signed over 8,000 official foreclosure documents without ever reading any of them. This is a clearcut violation of the law but there are so many such examples of this, not limited to the Bank of America alone, that there is not sufficient space to list them all. The WikiLeaks documents clearly show that these illegal actions were fully known to senior Bank of America officials and that extensive cover-ups were ordered from the very top levels of that bank.

WikiLeaks documentation shows clearly that the “senior American legislators and officials.” Who connived with the Bank of America include the leadership of the Federal Reserve, top Congressional leaders (mostly Republican) and even senior members of the White House staff, both in the Bush and Obama administrations.
With this pending dam collapse release to the public, it is no wonder that the government itself, the officials of the Bank of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the most powerful, arch-conservative business cabal would all join forces in an attempt to discredit or permanently silence Assange and his organization.

The front organization, HBGary Federal, a specialist in computer manipulations, was hired by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Bank of America to attempt to plant false information with WikiLeaks, double-heading frantic government attempts to get Assange physically into their hands. When WiliLeaks struck back and, in turn, infiltrated the government and private sector’s attempts to infiltrate them, it was discovered that HBGary Federal was involved with Stuxtnet, a very sophisticated computer virus developed by Israeli and American experts and designed to infiltrate and destroy computer systems deemed “unacceptable” to Washington.

Bank of American officials have been warning Washington that if they crash, the damage to the American ecnomoy wouild be catastrophic because of their size and pervasiveness and this message has resonated very clearly in official circles, prompting frantic but clumsy attacks on Assange and his organization.”

Find Your Home’s Pooling And Servicing Agreement

Critical Information: How to Find Your Home’s Pooling And Servicing Agreement

February 28th, 2011 • Foreclosure

The pooling and servicing agreement (PSA) is a contract that should govern the terms under which trillions of dollars-worth of equity in the land of the United States of America was flung around the world. These contracts should govern how disputes over ownership and interest in the land that was the United States of America should be resolved. Pretty simple stuff, right? I mean if I’m a millionaire big shot New York Lawyer working for big shot billionaire Wall Street Investors and banks, then I’d do my job as a lawyer to make sure the contract was right and that all the i’s were dotted and the t’s were crossed right?

But that’s not at all what’s happened. In our scraggly street level offices, far below the big fancy marble encased towers of American law and finance, simple dirt lawyers defending homeowners started actually reading these contracts. We ask lots of questions about just what all those fancy words in their big shot contracts mean. Invariably, the big shot lawyers and the foreclosure mills tell us, “Don’t you worry about all them words you scraggly, simple dirt lawyer. Those words aren’t important to you.”

But increasingly judges recognize that the words really do mean something. Take note of the following statements from the recent Ibanez Ruling:

I concur fully in the opinion of the court, and write separately only to underscore that what is surprising about these cases is not the statement of principles articulated by the court regarding title law and the law of foreclosure in Massachusetts, but rather the utter carelessness with which the plaintiff banks documented the titles to their assets.

The type of sophisticated transactions leading up to the accumulation of the notes and mortgages in question in these cases and their securitization, and, ultimately the sale of mortgaged-backed securities, are not barred nor even burdened by the requirements of Massachusetts law. The plaintiff banks, who brought these cases to clear the titles that they acquired at their own foreclosure sales, have simply failed to prove that the under-lying assignments of the mortgages that they allege (and would have) entitled them to foreclose ever existed in any legally cognizable form before they exercised the power of sale that accompanies those assignments.

The Ibanez decision underscores the fact that it is important for all of us to know and understand how the pooling and servicing agreements directly impact what is occurring in the courtroom. And for assistance with understanding the PSA and how to find it, more commentary from Michael Olenick at Legalprise:

Overview of PSA’s

Securitized loans are built into securities, which happen to look and function virtually identically to bonds but are categorized and called securities because of some legal restrictions on bonds that nobody seems to know about.

The securities start with one or more investment banks, called the Underwriter (should be called the Undertaker), that seems to disappear right after cashing in lots of fees. They create a prospectus that has different parts of the security that they are proposing. Each of these parts is called a tranche. There are anywhere from a half-dozen to a couple dozen tranches. Each one is considered riskier.

Each tranche is actually a separate sub-security, that can and is traded differently, but governed by the same PSA, listed in the Prospectus. Similar tranches from multiple loans were often bundled together into something called a Collateralized Debt Obligation, or CDO. So besides the MBS there might also be one or more CDO’s made up of, say, one middle tranche of each MBS. Each tranche is considered riskier, usually based a combination of the credit-scores of the people in the tranche and the type of loans (ex: full/partial/no doc, traditional/interest-only/neg am, first or secondary lien, etc…).

CDO’s were eligible for a type of “insurance” in case their price went down called a Credit Default Swap, or CDS (also known as “synthetic CDO’s”). There was actually no need to own the CDO to buy the
insurance and many companies purchased the insurance, that paid out handsomely. [That’s what the AIG bailout was for, because they didn’t keep adequate reserves to pay out the insurance policies.]

Later, investors could also purchase securities made up of multiple CDO’s, much the same way that CDO’s were made up of tranches of multiple MBS’s. These were called “CDO’s squared.” Not surprisingly,
there were also a few “CDO’s cubed,” CDO’s of CDO’s squared. CDO’s were virtually all written offshore so little is known about who owns them, except that they were premised on the idea that since there was
collateralized mortgage debt at their base they could not collapse. Their purpose was to spread the various of risks of mortgages which, back then, meant prepayment of high interest debt and default.

Investors were actually way more obsessed with prepayment because they thought the whole country could not default; to make sure of that MBS’s and all their gobbly gook were spread around the country; you
can see where in the prospectus. They were almost more concerned with geographic dispersion than credit dispersion.

After that it’s the servicers/trustee/document custodian scheme we’re all familiar with. OK .. with that too-strange-to-make-up explanation means let’s dive into how to find one’s loan:

1. Find the security name: it will be a year (usually the year of origination), a dash, two letters, then a number. It will be somewhere in one of your filings. For this we’ll use a random First Franklin loan, 2005-FF1. [Note; they would just sequentially number them, so the first security First Franklin floated in 2005 would be FF1, then FF2, etc…]
2. Go to the SEC’s new search engine: http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html
3. Click the first link, Company or fund name…
4. Choose the radio button marked “contains” and type in the ticker; that is 2005-FF1
5. There will be multiple filings but one of them will be marked 424B5. Click that, it’s the prospectus.

If you really want to have fun, and want to know what happened after 2008 when these all disappeared, type the ticker (again, 2005-FF1) into the full text link from the first search page. There you’ll see lots and lots of filings as pieces and parts of the security are blasted everywhere. To track yours you have to find which tranche you ended up in. Sometimes it’s in the filing but, if not, you can usually figure it out from the prospectus if you know basic origination info (credit-score, type of loan, where the house is, etc…); some even list loan amounts.

One warning on those secondary filings, servicers and trusts both break them out as assets. How one loan can be reported as an asset in two places is a mystery, but considering this doesn’t even cover the CDO’s and CDS’s dual reporting doesn’t seem to strange. You’ll see your loan keep wandering through the financial system, with one exception (next paragraph), right up to the present day. You can even see how much the investment banks thinks that its worth over time since they report out both original amount and fair market value.

The exception — when your loan really does disappear — is when it was eaten up by the Federal Reserve’s Toxic Loan Asset Facility, TALF. But you can look that up to and see how the government purchased your
loan for full-price, when investors on the open market were only willing to pay a few cents on the dollar. If your loan went to TALF you can find it in the spreadsheet here: http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/reform_talf.htm Your loan will be in the top spreadsheet and the genuine lender in the bottom.

Now they have to admit it they violated the law and will be liable for Billions

BofA, Wells, Citi see foreclosure probe fines

By Joe Rauch and Clare Baldwin
CHARLOTTE, N.C./NEW YORK | Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:20pm EST
CHARLOTTE, N.C./NEW YORK (Reuters) – Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo — three of the biggest banks in the United States — said they could face fines from a regulatory probe into the industry’s foreclosure practices.
The statements, made in regulatory filings on Friday, are the most direct admission yet from major banks that they could have to pay significant amounts of money to settle probes and lawsuits alleging that they improperly foreclosed on homes.
Bank of America Corp (BAC.N), the largest U.S. bank by assets, said the probe could lead to “material fines” and “significant” legal expenses in 2011.
Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N), the largest U.S. mortgage lender, said it is likely to face fines or sanctions, such as a foreclosure moratorium or suspension, imposed by federal or state regulators. It said some government agency enforcement action was likely and could include civil money penalties.
Citigroup Inc (C.N) said it could pay fines or set up principal reduction programs.
The biggest U.S. mortgage lenders are being investigated by 50 state attorneys general and U.S. regulators for foreclosing on homes without having proper paperwork in place or without having properly reviewed paperwork before signing it.
The bad documentation threatens to slow down the foreclosure process and invalidate some repossessions.
Sources familiar with discussions among federal authorities have said they could seek as much as $20 billion in total from lenders to settle the foreclosure probe, which began last fall.
Analysts said the acknowledgment of potential foreclosure liabilities highlights the continuing struggles of the largest U.S. banks after the world financial crisis.
“Are they trying? Sure, but this is not an easy fix and these kinds of problems are going to hang around the banks for years,” said Matt McCormick, a portfolio manager with Cincinnati-based Bahl & Gaynor Investment Counsel.
McCormick said he has sold nearly all of his U.S. bank holdings because of concerns over foreclosures and other losses.
Beyond direct fines due to regulators, banks may also end up paying government-controlled mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae for the foreclosure delays.
Bank of America said it recorded $230 million in compensatory fees in the fourth quarter that it expects to owe the government mortgage companies.
The bank said its projected costs for settlements for all legal matters it is facing, including mortgage issues, could be $145 million to $1.5 billion beyond what it has already reserved.
Wells Fargo said that in the worst-case scenario, as of the end of 2010, it could have to pay $1.2 billion more than it has set aside to cover legal matters.
Citigroup said it could face up to about $4 billion more in losses from all sorts of lawsuits, including but not limited to those relating to mortgages and foreclosures.
Wells Fargo said in October that it plans to amend 55,000 foreclosure filings nationwide, amid signs that documentation for some foreclosures was incomplete or incorrect. Other banks made similar moves.
Other banks echoed the concern over foreclosures in a wave of annual report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday.
Atlanta-based SunTrust said it expects regulators may issue a consent order, which will require the largest mortgage lenders to fix problems with their foreclosure processes, and potentially levy fines.
Wells Fargo shares closed 3.1 percent higher at $32.40 on the New York Stock Exchange. Bank of America shares closed 1.6 percent higher at $14.20 and Citi shares closed 0.2 percent higher at $4.70, also on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by Joe Rauch, Clare Baldwin and Maria Aspan; Editing by Gary Hill)

Arizona’s Republican Dominated Senate Passing Chain of Title Bill, 28-2 Bankers Apoplectic

Frankly, I don’t know where to begin. There’s just so much to say. It’s like a cornucopia of… well, lots of stuff to say. Bankers everywhere must be walking in circles, muttering to themselves, perhaps breaking out in hives. And I have to imagine that banking industry lobbyists are in some kind of trouble with their masters today, with phones being slammed down after CEOs have screamed:

“Damn it, how could you have let this happen? We gave you an open checkbook filled with blank checks… and you couldn’t even scare off, or buy off, the Arizona Senate… the Republican controlled Senate? And you call yourselves lobbyists?”
SLAM!

You see, the Arizona State Senate has passed Senate Bill 1259, sponsored by Michele Reagan, which would require the lenders that didn’t originate a loan to produce the full chain of title, or risk the foreclosure sale being voided. The bill now goes to the House for a vote, but with the Senate having passed it by an overwhelming margin of 28-2, it would seem that its passage is a fait accompli.

According to the Arizona Senate’s FACT SHEET FOR S.B.1259, foreclosures; proof of ownership, the Bill’s purpose is as follows:

“Provides a chain of ownership during foreclosure proceedings and allows reimbursement of lawyer fees for injunctions or court cases that fail to prove ownership.”

Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. A Republican dominated Senate, you say?

You don’t say. Are you sure?

Quite sure.

So, are these Republicans in any way related to the Republicans in Washington D.C. or is the word “Republican” pronounced differently in Arizona and there’s no relation between the two groups?

(That was originally intended to be a rhetorical question, but if anyone feels capable of actually answering it, please… by all means… write to me… because I’m so confused.)

And attorneys fees to be awarded to the victor as well? Well, I’ll say… so, very good then. That means that homeowners who believe there is cause for a challenge to the servicer’s chain of title assertions, will have a much easier time finding and funding their legal representation, I would think that would be the case, anyway, don’t quote me…. or, no… go ahead and quote me, why the heck not?

And, in a related story… Arizona’s foreclosure defense plaintiff’s attorneys have been spotted across the state dancing in the streets with some of the state’s distressed homeowners. Many observers of this admittedly unusual phenomenon claim that for the most part, the attorneys and homeowners were doing the Hokey Pokey, with several people reporting that after rolling down their windows as they drove by, they heard the dancers exclaim: “That’s what it’s all about!”

The Senate’s S.B. 1259 FACT SHEET also listed five key “Provisions” of the bill:

1. Requires a non originating beneficiary on a deed of trust, to record a summary document that contains past names and addresses of prior beneficiaries, the date, recordation number and a description of the instrument that conveyed the interest of each beneficiary.

2. Requires the summary document to be recorded at the same time and place that the notice of trustee’s sale is recorded and that a copy be attached to any notice of trustee’s sale that is required.

3. Stipulates that failure to properly record the summary document that demonstrates evidence of title for the foreclosing beneficiary as of the date of the trustee’s sale will result in a voidable sale.

4. Allows any person with an interest in the trust property to file an action to void the trustee’s sale for failure to comply and is entitled to an award of attorney fees and damages, to include an award of attorney fees for any injunction or other provisional remedy related to the claim.

5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

So, get this… I’m as curious as the bankers must be as to how in the world something like this happened. I mean, I’ve been accusing our country’s politicians of perpetual kowtowing to the banking lobby, and of having no first hand knowledge of what’s going on in real life, as far as the foreclosure crisis goes… and then the Arizona’s political types go and pass something like this? I mean… go figure, right?

So… how did it happen?

Well, funny story… it seems that State Senator Michele Reagan, a Republican of all things, who was first elected to serve in the Arizona House of Representatives in 2002, and in 2010 was elected to the Arizona State Senate… and who is Vice-Chairman of the Banking and Insurance Committee, and Chairman of the Committee on Economic Development and Jobs Creation… well it seems that she and her husband were sued by their servicer, Texas-based Colonial Savings FA, when they sent the bank a letter last July stating that they were planning to rescind their loan due to violations of the Truth in Lending Act or TILA .

According to Bloomberg’s story on the bill’s passage:

“They claim that the bank failed to disclose certain fees, and that the underwriter of their loan inflated their income by 12%, which violates the Truth in Lending Act.”

Colonial Savings then asked the court to declare that the couple were not entitled to rescind the loan, it should go without saying.

Reagan and her husband, David Gulino filed their own counter claim type lawsuit, in which they argued that they were manipulated into accepting an adjustable-rate mortgage, and that Colonial Savings, in true servicer-style, won’t tell them who owns their loan.

According to Bloomberg, Janet Walter, a spokeswoman for Colonial Savings, declined to comment, so I see no point in ringing her myself. And, Reagan’s attorney Beth Findsen, who told Bloomberg that she also helped write the bill, said the following:

“It makes Michele mad that the bank servicers will not disclose to a borrower the true noteholders,”

Findsen said. “She was taken aback that such basic information was not readily available.”

And I can imagine she would be taken aback. I know I would be… and in fact was… when I was first exposed to the problems being caused by Servicers, and I remain taken aback to this day.

Again, quoting from the Bloomberg story…

“If you foreclose on somebody you should have to tell them who owns the property,” Michele Reagan, who sponsored Senate Bill 1259, said in a telephone interview. “People have the right in this country to face their accusers.”

I like the way she thinks, don’t you? Even though, if I were to be picky about it, I’m not entirely sure that the reason for passing a law that requires the banksters to produce or report on all of the specific beneficiaries comprised in the Chain of Title has anything to do with our right to confront one’s accuser, as described in the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but if that’s what works, then let’s by all means run with it.

Strong opposition to the bill’s passage is coming from the Arizona Bankers Association, the Arizona Trustees Association, and Merscorp Inc., three great tastes that taste great together. MERS, in case you’ve been incarcerated in a Turkish prison over this past year, is an industry-owned organization that maintains a database containing more than 50% of all mortgages, that claims to be able to represent the trustees that conduct foreclosure auctions on behalf of lenders. Many vehemently disagree.

Paul Hickman, chief executive officer of the Arizona Bankers Association in Phoenix, showed up in the Bloomberg article, to issue the banking industry’s standard WARNING & THREAT package… the one they draw like a gun every time anything might change that affects them in any way.

“If Arizona passes this, it will be the only state in the union that will require a production of chain of title. States that pass these types of laws will be riskier environments to lend in and more difficult environments to get a loan in.”

Or, in other words… pass this bill and none of you in AZ will ever buy a home again because there will be no credit available to you. Hickman didn’t add the popular refrain about how the change will also paralyze the housing market, which will derail the recovery and basically end the world as we know it. Oooooo… scary bedtime stories for legislators.

And by the way, Mr. Hickman… the whole chain of title thing is already the law in Arizona and elsewhere. This new law just requires your membership to follow the existing laws and actually make sure the chain of title is not destroyed by banker incompetence or blatant disregard for the law.

So, why would your banker buddies having to follow the law transform a geographic locale into a “riskier environment?” Riskier for whom, exactly? Just tell the bankers that they may have to work past three and actually care about doing things in compliance with the law from now on, and everything will be fine… see… risk gone. Happy now?

Also, appearing alongside Hickman, the president of the Arizona Trustees Association in Phoenix, Richard Chambliss… I prefer to call him “Dick,” echoed the industry’s message as well:

“Reagan’s bill has both technical and conceptual problems, and could add to uncertainty over title.

Lenders that don’t file mortgage assignments with county recorders offices could face borrower challenges if the bill passes, even though the assignments weren’t required by state law.”

Dick Chambliss went on… sounding to me like he was getting a bit hot under the collar as he did…

“Is this bill intended to punish the lenders and screw up the process or address the problem that needs to be solved?”

Actually, two out of three, Dicky my boy… it’s definitely intended to punish the lenders, although nowhere near as severely as they should be punished, and now that we can all see how it upsets you and your peer group, we’re more confident than ever that it will also go a long way towards solving a couple of key problems inherent to the foreclosure crisis to-date as a result of servicer practices…

1. That servicers and lenders will actually have to follow the laws related to the chain of title, and therefore won’t be bringing fraudulent documents into court anymore.

2. That servicers that haven’t followed the laws and therefore that have broken the chain of title will now have an incentive to modify loans, instead of perpetuating illegal foreclosures.

But, look at the bright side… think of the money you’ll save on robo-signers, depositions, the creation of garbage alonges… you’ll come out ahead, I just know it.

Dick had yet another question to pose…

“What is it accomplishing by requiring that the history from the birth of the deed of trust to 20 assignments down the road have to be fully identified?”

Ooohh.. ohoo… I know this one, can I answer this one?

It’s a law to make sure that bankers tell the truth and follow our state and federal laws when foreclosing on someone’s home. Is that not an easy thing to see and understand? Even the banksters see the writing on the proverbial wall this time out, which is undoubtedly why they are so distressed at the prospect of the bill passing the House of Representatives and becoming law in Arizona.

See what I mean? Doesn’t “Dick” fit him better than Richard. For sure, right? I don’t even know the guy and I can tell from the way he talks that he’s definitely a “Dick”.

With Arizona being a non-judicial foreclosure state, meaning that property can be legally repossessed there without a court order, the banksters are not used to being asked such questions related to foreclosure and therefore are likely to be nowhere near as prepared to create fraudulent documents as they have been in the judicial foreclosure states where they appear to have a rich history of forgery going back many years.

Most mortgages that were originated during the last ten years were securitized and therefore supposedly assigned to trusts, with “pass-through certificates” entitling their holders to receive a percentage of the payment streams generated by the mortgages in the pool offered for sale to investors. As a result, many, many of these loans were sold more than three times before ever getting into the trust, assuming they ever arrived.

Banks using the Merscorp’s system typically don’t file assignments because the says that the ownership information is tracked electronically, whatever that actually means. Numerous judges don’t agree, most notably of late, Federal Bankruptcy Court Judge Grossman in New York whose opinion a few weeks ago, although non-binding for several reasons, removed all uncertainty as the argument as to whether MERS should be allowed to foreclose. He says, clearly… not a chance.

Walter E. Moak, who is apparently a bankruptcy attorney in Chandler, Arizona, was quoted in the Bloomberg story, saying that this Arizona legislation would make it easier for borrowers to negotiate loan workouts, and depending on the details, I might even agree. But, then the story quotes this bankruptcy lawyer as saying something that I would have to take issue with…

“Servicers often reject modification requests because the borrower doesn’t meet investor guidelines, even as they refuse to identify the investors,” Moak said.

“The person who has decision-making power is not the servicer, it’s the investors,” he said.

I realize that servicers say this a lot… I realize that many people believe this to be the case… I know that intellectually it may even makes sense … and I’ll even allow for some small percentage of cases where this statement is accurate to whatever degree… BUT… for the most part, Mr. Moak’s statements are at best incomplete, and in many instances wrong.

When a servicer tells a homeowner that they are unable to modify their loan due to something about not meeting investor guidelines or because the investor said they won’t modify loans… well, I’m sorry Mr. Moak, but assuming the loan has been securitized… it’s almost never true. At least nine times out of ten, they’re just plain old lying… or shall we say they’re embroidering… or perhaps we should call it, embellishing… no, let’s go back to just plain lying.

Pooling and Servicing Agreements, in the vast majority of cases, do not prohibit servicers from modifying a loan that is at risk of imminent default, and besides that… servicers don’t have a relationship with the investors… they report to a Master Servicer, who in turn reports to a Trustee, and that trustee could theoretically contact investors, but even that is extremely unlikely as the investors we’re talking about are often pension plans, insurance companies and sovereign wealth funds… not exactly the kind of investors you just pick up the phone and call… and then you would have to reach some sort of a majority… I mean… it’s just a ridiculous proposition.

Georgetown Law Professor, Adam Levitin, in conjunction with Tara Twomey of National Consumer Law Center, two of the country’s leading experts in the intricacies of mortgage servicing as related to loan modifications, have just published a 90-page research paper that represents “the first comprehensive overview of the residential mortgage servicing business,” and although the subject is nothing if not complex, some things are clear.

(I actually know Tara from the judicial conference held last April for the 9th Circuit judges… she and I were on the same panel speaking to the judges about the foreclosure crisis and the impacts of securitization.)

From the Levitin/Twomey research paper on mortgage servicing:

Mortgage servicing has begun to receive increased scholarly, popular, and political attention as a result of the difficulties faced by financially distressed homeowners when attempting to restructure their mortgages amid the home foreclosure crisis. In particular, the mortgage servicing industry has been identified as a central factor in the failure of the various government loan modification programs.

No one has a firm sense of the frequency of contractual limitations to modification for PLS. A small and unrepresentative sampling by Credit Suisse indicates that nearly all PLS PSAs permit modification when a loan is in default or default is reasonably foreseeable. Almost 60% of the sampled PSAs had no other restrictions to modification. Of the PSAs with additional restrictions, 27% capped loan modifications at 5% of the loan pool, either by count or balance.

The PSA sets forth two exceptions to this general limitation on loan modification. First, for defaulted loans, the PSA provides that the servicer may write down principal or extend the term of the loan. Thus, it appears that the servicer may write down the principal on a defaulted or distressed loan or may extend the term of the loan.

Look, the fact is that servicers lie all the time to the homeowners who apply to have their loans modified, and I’ve got a front row seat to that behavior almost every single day. They want to foreclose because they make more money when they foreclose, and if they can say something to get a homeowner to give up, they will… and they do… all the time. I can’t count the number of times when I’ve told a homeowner to not give up and the result has been a modified loan.

If a servicer tells me that the sky is blue, I go outside and check for myself… and that’s all I have to say about that.

See why I have to check for myself?

Here’s the conslusion from the Levitin/Twomey paper…

Conclusion

This Article presents the first comprehensive overview of the residential mortgage servicing business and shows that mortgage servicing suffers from an endemic principal-agent conflict between investors and servicers.

Securitization separates the ownership interest in a mortgage loan and the management of the loan. Securitization structures incentivize servicers to act in ways that do not track investors‘ interests, and these structures limit investors‘ ability to monitor servicer behavior. Monitoring proxies, such as ratings agencies and trustees, are themselves subject to perverse incentives and are limited in their ability to monitor servicer behavior.

As a result, servicers are frequently incentivized to foreclose on defaulted loans rather than restructure the loan, even when the restructuring would be in the investors‘ interest. The costs of this principal-agent conflict are not borne solely by MBS investors. The principal-agent conflict in residential mortgage servicing also has an enormous negative externality for homeowners, communities, and the housing market.

The principal-agent problem in residential mortgage servicing could be addressed by restructuring servicing compensation. Other types of securitizations use measures that mitigate the principal-agent conflict between servicers and investors.

There are costs to applying these measures to residential mortgage securitization, which are likely to be borne partly by borrowers in the form of higher mortgage costs. Yet, correcting the principal agent problem in mortgage servicing is critical for mitigating the negative social externalities from uneconomic foreclosures and ensuring greater protection for investors and homeowners.

And if I can wrap that conclusion up in a tidy little package with a bow on top, it says that it’s the mortgage servicers who are letting our nation down and causing unfathomable amounts of pain to our country’s homeowners across all socio-economic demographic segments.

The Bloomberg story also quoted Christopher L. Peterson, a law professor at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, who said that he thought the legislation would, “test the completeness and accuracy of bank records. The law could also have the unintended consequence of pushing more lenders to modify loans rather than face a voided sale.”

“I like it because it forces the financial institution into providing information about who owns loans and rebuild transparency,” Peterson said. “It makes it significantly more difficult to foreclose if they don’t have good records of the history of ownership of the loan.”

A FEW CLOSING THOUGHTS I HOPE YOU’LL CONSIDER…

1. In its simplest form, this is a bill that would create a law that would say that bankers have to follow our existing laws before foreclosing on someone’s home. And yet the bankers don’t like it and say that if they were forced to follow our laws, we would have a harder time getting loans.

2. And to that I would say: Fine… if we have a harder time getting loans, then it occurs to me that we’ll owe less money and you bankers will have a harder time making as much money. So who’s really going to suffer here if this becomes a law?

3. Bankers argued throughout the last 20 years that no laws should restrict sub-prime lending because then lower income Americans wouldn’t have access to credit, which is a lot like saying that poor neighborhoods need access to LOAN SHARKS.

4. Why wouldn’t every state in the country have a law like this one on the books? It’s a law that makes banks follow the law. How could that be a bad thing? I’d like to encourage everyone to write to their state representatives and tell them that you want them to enact such a law.

5. The only reason this bill is being pushed through the Arizona legislature is that one of that state’s senators actually tried to rescind her own predatory loan and found out first hand what it’s like to have to deal with a servicer. Is she an irresponsible borrower? I don’t hear anyone calling her names, asking her if she’s living beyond her means. WHY NOT?

6. What should we do, wait for more of our elected representatives to fall fare enough down the economic ladder so that they too have the experience of dealing with a servicer? And only then we should stop the pain and suffering being caused by the foreclosure crisis. I’ve said it before, but our elected representatives have long-since forgotten what it’s like to not be rich. They need to be reminded…

I have a call in to Sen. Michele Reagan’s office in Phoenix and I hope to hear back from her. But until I do, there’s only one thing that’s making me feel uneasy about S.B. 1259… and here it is…

Remember the first and second provisions I listed, from the FACT SHEET:

1. Requires a non originating beneficiary on a deed of trust, to record a summary document that contains past names and addresses of prior beneficiaries, the date, recordation number and a description of the instrument that conveyed the interest of each beneficiary.

2. Requires the summary document to be recorded at the same time and place that the notice of trustee’s sale is recorded and that a copy be attached to any notice of trustee’s sale that is required.

Yeah, well you see the 800lb. gorilla now, right? Is this bill saying that all the bankers will be required to do under the new law is type up a list of what shouldn’t happen but didn’t… without having to prove anything? Because if that’s the case, then I just wasted a huge amount of time writing about something that will soon be proven useless, and I’m not happy about that possibility at all.

I mean, typing up a chronology of what was supposed to happen and when, even though it didn’t… strikes me as being much easier than having a robo-signer sign 10,000 lost note affidavits each month

So, all I can say is… I’m going to find out for sure tomorrow by talking to the Senator’s office, and until then I’m going to pretend that I never even noticed that little issue, and pray like hell that this isn’t just another Charlie Brown run at that same stupid football.

From the Bloomberg article:

fraud shouldn’t pay

Do you want to get more involved in fighting for a fair economy? Do you want to stop the big banks from profiting from their crimes? From faith-based to community-based, we have more than 30 groups in over a dozen states working locally and nationally on this issue and they would love to hear from you! Check out the list below (organized by state) to learn and connect with the group best for you.

Week of Feb. 21: Join the delegations of homeowners and community leaders delivering the Crime Shouldn’t Pay petition to the Attorneys Generals this week! 9 states are participating, including: California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina and Ohio. If you live in one of these states and want to join, scroll down below. Groups working on organizing the delegation in your state will be marked with a red star. * Call or email the group to get exact time and location information. Let them know, “I want to join the petition delegation this week.”

California

* Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (State-wide)
* Los Angeles: 213-863-4548
Sacramento: 916-288-8829
Oakland/Bay Area: 510-269-4692
San Jose: 408-549-1230
San Mateo: 650-515-3155
San Diego: 619-754-9407

* PICO California (State-wide)
Sacramento, CA
(916) 447-7959

* Contra Costa Interfaith Sponsoring Committee
Contra Costa County, CA
(925) 313-0206

Inland Congregations United for Change
San Bernardino & Riverside Counties, CA
(909) 383-1134

L.A. Voice
Los Angeles, CA
(213) 384-7404

* Oakland Community Organizations
Oakland, CA
(510) 639-1444

Peninsula Interfaith Action
San Mateo County, CA
(650) 592-9181

Colorado
Colorado Progressive Coalition (State-wide)
Offices in Denver, Greeley, and Pueblo, CO
Denver: 303-866-0908
Pueblo:719-406-3716
Greeley: 970-378-6560

Florida
* PICO United Florida (State-wide)
Orlando, FL
(407) 241-0605

Federation of Congregations United to Serve
Orange County, FL
(407) 849-5031

Congregations for Community Action
Melbourne & Palm Bay, FL
(321) 254-1595

Iowa

* Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (State-wide)
Des Moines, IA
515-255-0800

Idaho
Idaho Community Action Network
Boise, ID
208-385-9146

Illinois
Illinois People’s Action (State-wide)
Bloomington, IL
309-827-9627

Lakeview Action Coalition
Chicago, IL
773-549-1947

South Austin Coalition Community Council
Chicago, IL
773-287-4570/9957

Kansas
Sunflower Community Action (State-wide)
Wichita, KS
316-264-9972

Massachusetts
* Alliance to Develop Power (State-wide)
Springfield, MA
413-739-7233

Brockton Interfaith Community
Brockton, MA
(508) 587-9550

* Massachusetts Communities Action Network (State-wide)
Boston, MA
(617) 822-1499

Maine
Maine Peoples Alliance (State-wide)
Offices in Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston, ME
Portland: 207-797-0967
Bangor: 207-990-0672
Lewiston: 207-782-7876

Michigan

Michigan Organizing Project (State-wide)
Kalamazoo, MI
269-344-1967

Harriet Tubman Center
Detroit, MI
(313) 549-0421

Minnesota
Take Action Minnesota (State-wide)
Saint Paul, MN
651-641-6199

Missouri
Grass Roots Organizing (State-wide)
Mexico, MO
573-581-9595

Communities Creating Opportunity
Kansas City, MO
(816) 444-5585

Montana
Montana Organizing Project (State-wide)
Missoula and Billings, MT
Email: sheena@nwfco.org

Nevada
Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (State-wide)
Las Vegas and Reno, NV
Reno:
775-348-7557
Las Vegas V:
702-791-1965

New York
Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition
Bronx, NY
718-584-0515

Brooklyn Congregations United
Brooklyn, NY
718 287-4334

People United for Sustainable Housing
Buffalo, NY
716-884-0356

* Syracuse United Neighbors
Syracuse, NY
315-476-7475

Ohio
* Citizens United For Action (State-wide)
Cincinnati, OH
513-541-4109

Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope
Cleveland, OH
216-834-2324

Working In Neighborhoods Action Organizing Project (State-wide)
Cincinnati, OH
513-541-4109

Oregon
Oregon Action (State-wide)
Portland and Medford, OR
Portland: 503-282-6588
Medford: 541-772-4029

Washington
Washington Community Action Network (State-wide)
Seattle, WA
206-389-0050 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 206-389-0050

Litigation with HUD and FHA Insured Mortgage Loans and Foreclosure


When a mortgage is insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), an agency overseen by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), servicing companies must follow HUD servicing guidelines. Some of these regulations involve the foreclosure process on a such a property, and failure to follow the guidelines may be used by homeowners to defend their foreclosure in court.

The following is a list and brief description of some of the court cases that have involved HUD and FHA loans that were improperly serviced, ones that were decided in favor of homeowners, and ones in which borrowers facing foreclosure were denied claims. Knowing some of the background of these cases may help homeowners decide if their loan is being properly serviced, or if it is worth their time to apply for an FHA loan.

One of the requirements to foreclose on a HUD loan is that the servicer must attempt to hold a face-to-face meeting with the homeowners before three payments have been missed. In Banker’s Life v. Denton, homeowners raised the failure to hold the meeting as a defense against foreclosure. Also, the servicer did not send the request for the meeting via certified mail or attempt to visit the borrowers at the property. The court found for the owners in this case.

Notices of default must also be sent to delinquent borrowers in accordance with the HUD regulations. In Federal National Mortgage Ass’n v. Moore, homeowners raised the argument that the lender had not sent out a notice of default that was in compliance with HUD’s regulations. The notice sent, according to the borrowers, was not valid because it was on a form that was not “approved by the Secretary” of HUD and was not sent in a timely manner as the regulations require.

Since these two cases had been decided, HUD’s regulations have changed, but the language of the preforeclosure servicing, including notice requirements and review guidelines, have remained the same. In fact, another court case, Mellon Mortgage Co. v. Larios, decided that the requirements are the same now as they were before the statue was revised. Lenders failing to comply with these guidelines can still be used as a defense against foreclosure.

The face-to-face meeting with homeowners is also an important aspect of foreclosing on a mortgage backed by HUD. The minimum requirement to comply with this regulation is visiting the borrowers at home and sending at least one letter via certified mail. The issue came up in Washington Mutual Bank v. Mahaffey, and the lender was denied summary judgment because it had not sent the letter, even though someone had been sent to the property to visit the homeowners.

Of course, this is not to imply that every homeowner will win a case and successfully defend against foreclosure. Courts have also ruled against borrowers who raised issues regarding servicing. In Miller v. G.E. Capital Mortgage Servs., Inc., the court ruled that private citizens have no right to sue for violations of HUD’s loss mitigation provisions. The law, according to the court, is meant to focus on regulation of lenders — not creating rights for borrowers facing foreclosure.

Also, courts have found that the language included in deeds of trust insured by the FHA are not negotiated contractual terms. Instead, they are imposed by the FHA on both the borrowers and lenders, and the borrowers may not raise defenses in relation to breach of contract if lenders fail to follow the FHA guidelines. This case was decided in Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc. v. Neal. If the homeowners and mortgage company can not bargain for that aspect of the contract, there can be no breach of the contract.

Homeowners, their loss mitigation professionals, and their foreclosure attorneys should become aware of some of the issues involved with HUD loans if they have a mortgage insured by the FHA or are considering taking advantage of the new government programs. While some protections may be offered to borrowers, others seem to be taken away by the courts if there is a question about a foreclosure. Knowing the issues through previously-decided court cases can help educate borrowers.

The FHA Short Refinance Option—Help For Non-FHA Borrowers

Starting September 7, 2010, the FHA offers help to qualifying non-FHA borrowers who are “underwater” on their home loans. The FHA Short Refinance option is open to those who are current on their existing mortgage—but the lender must agree to forgive at least 10% of the unpaid principal on the original note to bring the combined loan-to-value ratio to a maximum 115%. The new FHA-guaranteed loan must have a loan-to-value ratio of no more than 97.75%.

Non-FHA borrowers who meet these guidelines and additional credit qualifications (see below) are allowed to apply to refinance into new FHA-insured home loan. The program is not open-ended—the original FHA press release announcing the start date of the FHA Short Refinance option says the program is expected to help as many as four million homeowners through the end of 2012.

The FHA press release says the FHA Short Refinance program is voluntary and “requires the cooperation of all lien holders”. This program is not automatically open to any homeowner who is underwater on a conventional home loan; as stated previously, there is a requirement that the borrower be current on all mortgage payments. They must also qualify for the FHA Short Refinance program by having a credit score of 500 or better and meet other typical FHA loan
prerequisites.

FHA Short Refinancing is only for borrowers who are underwater on properties that are considered the borrower’s primary residence, and is intended only for those with non-FHA guaranteed home loans. A borrower said to be “underwater” on a conventional home loan is basically stuck with a property that isn’t worth as much as the amount owed on the note—usually because of declining property values.

Commercial Bailout property values down 3 Trillion

The financial disaster of continuing to bailout commercial real estate through the shadows of Federal Reserve jargon. Why you haven’t heard of this trillion dollar bailout.

The financial disaster of continuing to bailout commercial real estate through the shadows of Federal Reserve jargon. Why you haven’t heard of this trillion dollar bailout.

The media has done a fantastic job painting over the enormous sinkhole of a problem that is commercial real estate (CRE). U.S. banks hold over $3 trillion in commercial real estate loans on properties that were once valued at over $6 trillion. Today those values are down to roughly $3 to $3.5 trillion depending on what metric you believe. How is it possible for a market that has lost $2.5 to $3 trillion to become largely hidden in the dark from the mainstream media? We constantly hear about $3 billion deficits or other issues but is the trillion dollar figure just so enormous that they don’t even bother investigating? It is probably more likely that the Federal Reserve has concealed massive failures in CRE by allowing banks to play a game of extend and pretend that continues today. The shadowy problems of empty shopping centers, vacant car dealership lots, and misplaced strip malls is largely a taxpayer problem now. Banks made these irresponsible loans but had the Fed hand over taxpayer loot in exchange for worthless real estate.

empty strip mall

“Another empty strip mall”

CRE bringing down FDIC banks

commercial real estate mit

Source: MIT

CRE values are still hovering near their trough and are likely to move lower. The only reason these prices haven’t moved lower is because banks are more generous with the borrowers of CRE debt since these holders are grappling with multi-million dollar cuts in each deal. Banks would rather pretend a mall is valued at $100 million instead of marking it to a real value of $40 million or less. The fact that the Federal Reserve allows this to happen is financial chicanery. Can you pretend to the government that you really don’t make $100,000 a year so instead you will act as if you make $30,000 a year and act accordingly? This is what is happening here. Banks are essentially allowing these toxic loans to be laundered through the system in exchange for taxpayer dollars. The Fed is betting that the public doesn’t wake up to this scam.

CRE is a giant and pernicious problem. With residential real estate it hits directly home and many American families are considered home owners. This bubble has garnered most media attention as it should. Yet CRE debt is enormous, larger than every state budget deficit combined by many times! In fact, the losses on CRE loans is larger than the state budget issues. Of course the Fed wants the public to look away from the real culprit behind the decline of the American middle class. The scheme was to build junk and pawn off the loans to average Americans whether they wanted to accept the debt or not.

The cost of CRE problems

commercial loans

Banks have no faith in this recovery. Look at the above regarding commercial loans. Banks continue to claim that the reason for the taxpayer bailouts was to help the American public weather the economic storm and for banks to continue lending to average Americans. Instead, as you can see above, commercial loan lending has collapsed and banks have hoarded money and speculated on the stock market casino on the taxpayer dime. This money was used to shore up bad balance sheet problems and for gambling on the stock market to boost profits. In short it was one giant swindle perpetrated on the public.

And think about the supposed recovery we are experiencing. If we were truly growing and expanding don’t you think there would be healthy demand for loans as businesses expand their workforce? Wouldn’t it be logical to conclude that commercial loans would reflect the supposed increased demand from a booming American economy? Of course the only boom occurring is for the top 1 percent who are siphoning off the wealth from average Americans to spin their continuing speculation in the stock market. Many are starting to wake up from this collective sleepwalk where taxpayers were robbed in open daylight.

The problems are coming up

Source: ZeroHedge

What is even more problematic is many of the CRE loans are going bad in the next few years. Just like residential real estate is now experiencing a second collapse, CRE will have another move lower. Banks can only carry fantasy paper for so long. So far we have been paying for it through QE1, QE2, TARP, and other convoluted programs to launder money and devalue the U.S. dollar and decrease the quality of life of average Americans. The public did not sign up for this. The banks talk about shared responsibility and many are paying for it by losing their homes and going bankrupt. Millions are facing this economic “responsibility” on a daily basis. What penalty for the banks? Instead, they get bailouts and continue to pretend the junk loans they made on concrete disasters are worth inflated values only to shovel them off to taxpayers. How is it that there are no buyers for these supposedly highly priced items?

CRE debt exposes the worst aspect of the bubble. Pure profit motive by supposed sophisticated investors on both sides of the coin with no financial responsibility or ownership. This isn’t some poor family in a low-income neighborhood taking out a subprime loan. This is actually a supposed responsible bank and a supposed financially savvy investor. There is no justification for one penny of a bailout here. Yet the Federal Reserve continues with their hidden bailout where they support malls in Oklahoma to Chick-fil-A. Don’t expect to hear about this on your nightly news