OPB-

The Oregon Supreme Court is expected to hear two cases this week involving the mortgage industry’s Mortgage Electronic Registration System, also known MERS.

When Wall Street started bundling home loans and selling them off to investors, MERS was created as shortcut around county recording requirements. Instead of recording each change of ownership, MERS is listed on the documents as the beneficiary. And often it’s the party that initiates foreclosure.

 [OPB]