In the matter of:
The Application of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart
& Sullivan, LLP to subpoena documents
from CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS, THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, under
a Commission issued in an action entitled
MBIA INSURANCE CORPORATION, a
New York corporation, Plaintiff v.
INDYMAC ABS, INC., a Delaware
corporation; HOME EQUITY MORTGAGE
2006-H4, a Delaware statutory trust; HOME
BACKED TRUST, SERIES INDS 2007-1, a
New York common law trust; HOME
BACKED TRUST, SERIES INDS 2007-2, a
New York common law trust; CREDIT
SUISSE SECURITIES (USA), L.L.C., a
Delaware limited liability Corporation; UBS
SECURITIES, LLC, a Delaware
corporation; JPMORGAN CHASE & CO., a
Delaware corporation; MICHAEL PERRY,
an individual; A. SCOTT KEYS, an
individual; JILL JACOBSON, an individual;
KEVIN CALLAN, an individual; and JOHN
and JANE DOES 1 – 100, Defendants,
pending in the Superior Court of California,
Los Angeles County, Central District, Case
No. BC422358.
ORDER DIRECTING
PRODUCTION OF BUSINESS
RECORDS FOR USE IN AN
ACTION PENDING
OUTSIDE NEW YORK STATE
Washington Mut. Bank v Phillip
2010 NY Slip Op 52034(U)
Decided on November 29, 2010
Supreme Court, Kings County
Schack, J.
Excerpts:
Further, the verification of the complaint was not executed by an officer of WAMU, but by Benita Taylor, a “Research Support Analyst of Washington Mutual Bank, the plaintiff in the within action” a resident of Jacksonville, Florida, on June 4, 2008. This is the same day that Ms. Maio claims to have communicated with “Mark Phelps, Esq., House Counsel.” I checked the Office of Court Administration’s Attorney Registry and found that Mark Phelps is not now nor has been an attorney registered in the State of New York. Moreover, the Court does not know what “House” employs Mr. Phelps. [*5]
Both Mr. Phelps and Ms. Maio should have discovered the defects in Ms. Taylor’s verification of the subject complaint. The jurat states that the verification was executed in the State of New York and the County of Suffolk [the home county of plaintiff’s counsel], but the notary public who took the signature is Deborah Yamaguichi, a Florida notary public, not a New York notary public. Thus, the verification lacks merit and is a nullity. Further, Ms. Yamaguchi’s notarization states that Ms. Taylor’s verification was “Sworn to and subscribed before me this 4th day of June 2008.” Even if the jurat properly stated that it was executed in the State of Florida and the County of Duval, where Jacksonville is located, the oath failed to have a certificate required by CPLR
<SNIP>
Ms. Maio should have consulted with a representative or representatives of plaintiff WAMU or is successors subsequent to receiving my November 9, 2010 order, not referring back to an alleged June 4, 2008 communication with “House Counsel.” Affirmations by plaintiff’s counsel in foreclosure actions, pursuant to Chief Administrative Judge Ann t. Pfau’s October 20, 2010 Administrative Order, mandates in foreclosure actions prospective communication by plaintiff’s counsel with plaintiff’s representative or representatives to prevent the widespread insufficiencies now found in foreclosure filings, such as: failure to review files to establish standing; filing of notarized affidavits that falsely attest to such review, and, “robosigning: of documents.
SUPREME COURT – STATE OF NEW YORK
I.A.S. PART XXXVI SUFFOLK COUNTY
Plaintiff, PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY:
STEVEN J. BAUM, P.C.
220 Northpointe Parkway, Suite G
Amherst, New York 14228
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
-against-
SUNNY ENG, SHIRLEY ENG, HTFC
CORPORATION, JANE ENG,
DEFENDANTS’ ATTORNEY:
LAW OFFICES OF CRAIG D. ROBINS
Woodbury, New York 11797
Defendants. 180 Froehlich Farm Blvd.
……………………………………………………….. X
Excerpts:
The Court notes that the same law firm, Steven J. Baum, P.C., represented both HTFC and Wells Fargo as plaintiffs.
Moreover, Mr. Wider avers that “Jeffrey Stephan,” who purportedly executed the assignment as “Limited Signing Officer” of HTFC Corporation, has never been an employee of HTFC and that such person was never authorized to act as a “Limited Signing Officer” on behalf of HTFC for any purpose.
Wells Fargo does not have standing to maintain and prosecute this action to foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Plaintiffs have failed to come forward with any evidence to substantiate its claims herein or to raise a triable issue of fact. Indeed, the affirmation of plaintiffs attorney, sworn to September 8, 2010, reflects that plaintiff has been unable to locate any documents substantiating plaintiffs “belief’ that “its servicer had the authority to execute any and all documents attendant to the transfer of the loan.”
Continue below to see both the Decision, Assignment in question…
By JOSH KOSMAN
Last Updated: 4:25 AM, November 15, 2010
Posted: 10:34 PM, November 14, 2010
Bank lawyers prosecuting the 80,000 foreclosure cases in New York are all but admitting that the cases they have filed over the past number of years have been riddled with fraud.
In the three weeks-plus since New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman put the foreclosure lawyers on notice that any fraud in foreclosure paperwork would be met with severe penalties — he is making lawyers sign affirmations promising they took “reasonable” steps to make sure the legal papers are true — practically no new foreclosure cases have been filed, The Post has learned.
And existing cases have ground to a halt, a source close to the state’s foreclosure practice said.
“Banks do not want to be the first to test the new rules,” the source said.
The virtual shutdown of New York’s foreclosure business comes despite chest-thumping, bravado-filled statements made by some banks in October that they had nothing to be afraid of when it came to foreclosure fraud and that the lawsuits aimed at kicking delinquent homeowners from their houses would continue shortly.
It seems lawyers pressing the foreclosure cases are not willing to bet their law licenses on such claims.
The foreclosure fiasco will be the subject of Senate hearings tomorrow and a House hearing Thursday, when execs from major lenders like Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase are expected to testify.
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