Frank S. Smith, Jr.,
v.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, an officer of the United States of America.

No. 2100194.

Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama.

June 24, 2011.

EXCERPT:

The Secretary moved for a summary judgment, asserting that, as a matter of law, he was entitled to possession of the house because, he said, he owned legal title to the house by virtue of the auctioneer’s deed. In support of his motion, the Secretary submitted an affidavit signed by Scott Hiatt, which stated:

“My name is Scott Hiatt, and I am Assistant Vice President and Attorney in Fact for Bank of America, N.A. In my employment capacity, I am personally familiar with the account of Frank S. Smith, Jr. and Juliet L. Smith ….

“On February 22, 2007, Plaintiff, Bank of America, N.A., sold at foreclosure the following real property located in Jefferson County, Alabama:

“[legal description of the house];

“Pursuant to power of sale contained in a promissory note and mortgage executed by Frank S. Smith, Jr. and Juliet L. Smith dated December 29, 1998, to and in favor of Franklin American Mortgage Company by instrument recorded in … the records in the Office of the Judge of Probate, Jefferson County, Alabama, which mortgage was subsequently assigned to The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, an Officer of the United States of America by instrument recorded … and re-recorded in … the said Probate Court Records.

“Frank S. Smith, Jr. and Juliet Smith defaulted in the payments of said indebtedness and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs commenced foreclosure with written notices to Frank S. Smith, Jr. and Juliet Smith and due newspaper publication in The Alabama Messenger.

“Said real property was sold at foreclosure February 22, 2007, for a successful bid of $66,097.50, paid by The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Purchaser. Frank S. Smith, Jr. and Juliet Smith were notified of said foreclosure sale by letter dated February 28, 2007, sent by certified mail of the foreclosure proceeding and [Frank S. Smith and Juliet Smith] were given ten (10) days to vacate said property.”

(Emphasis added.) Along with Hiatt’s affidavit, the Secretary submitted an uncertified copy of the mortgage; uncertified copies of the subsequent assignments of the mortgagee’s rights under the mortgage, which included an assignment to the Secretary; an uncertified copy of the auctioneer’s deed; an unauthenticated copy of an affidavit by the publisher of the Alabama Messenger; and an unauthenticated copy of a letter dated February 28, 2007, from an attorney representing the Secretary and addressed to Frank and Juliet at the house, which informed them that the Secretary had purchased the house at the foreclosure sale on February 22, 2007, and demanded that they vacate the house within 10 days.

[…]

In the case now before us, Hiatt’s affidavit did not show that Bank of America was a participant in the servicing of the mortgage or in the foreclosure. It did not explain how Hiatt, in his capacity as an officer of, and attorney-in-fact for, Bank of America, would have acquired personal knowledge of the information he testified to in his affidavit. Moreover, none of the documents that accompanied his affidavit were sworn, certified, or otherwise authenticated. Consequently, based on the holding of the supreme court in Crawford, we hold that the testimony contained in Hiatt’s affidavit and the documents that accompanied his affidavit were inadmissible and, therefore, that the trial court erred in entering a summary judgment in favor of the Secretary. Therefore, we reverse the summary judgment and remand the cause for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

REVERSED AND REMANDED.

Thompson, P.J., and Pittman, Thomas, and Moore, JJ., concur.

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