Wisconsin - FORECLOSURE FRAUD

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Bank practices cause register of deeds offices to be flooded with fraudulent documents

Bank practices cause register of deeds offices to be flooded with fraudulent documents


“It’s troubling to know that in each of our offices, are thousands — and I mean thousands — of fraudulent documents,” said Brown County Register of Deeds Cathy Williquette Lindsay

Madison-

It used to be that if you wanted to find out who owned your mortgage, you could go to the office of your local register of deeds, the final authority on questions of property ownership.

But when banks set up their own private registration system to help them bundle and resell mortgages in a whirlwind of securities exchanges, the land offices of record had no hope of keeping up.

And when some banks later foreclosed on many of those properties, often cutting corners or worse — creating phony documents — it left register of deeds offices across Wisconsin awash in forged and fraudulent documents.

That’s a “serious problem” for registrars charged with maintaining property records, said Brown County Register of Deeds Cathy Williquette Lindsay, who heads a committee studying foreclosure fraud on behalf of the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association.

Read more: [WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL]

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WISCONSIN 4DCA Reverses, Remands Summary Judgment “Materials were insufficient to establish that BAC was the holder of the note”

WISCONSIN 4DCA Reverses, Remands Summary Judgment “Materials were insufficient to establish that BAC was the holder of the note”


BAC Home Loan Servicing, L.P. f/k/a Countrywide Home Loans Servicing L.P., Plaintiff-Respondent,
v.
Michael J. Williams and Nicole J. Williams, Defendants-Appellants.

No. 2010AP2334.
Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, District IV.

Opinion Filed: September 29, 2011.
Before Lundsten, P.J., Sherman and Blanchard, JJ.

¶ 1 PER CURIAM.

Michael and Nicole Williams (collectively, Williams) appeal a summary judgment order that granted BAC Home Loan Servicing (BAC) a judgment of foreclosure against them. Williams raises multiple arguments challenging the judgment of foreclosure, and further contends the circuit court erred in denying the counterclaims by an earlier order. We conclude that the circuit court properly dismissed the counterclaims, but that the summary judgment materials were insufficient to establish that BAC was the holder of the note upon which the foreclosure was based. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of foreclosure and remand for further proceedings.

BACKGROUND

¶ 2 On January 25, 2008, Williams executed a promissory note in favor of One Choice Mortgage, LLC, secured by a mortgage on certain residential property in Sauk County. On August 7, 2009, BAC filed this action, seeking to foreclose on the property without deficiency, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 846.101 (2009-10).[1]

¶ 3 BAC alleged in its complaint that it was the current holder of the note and mortgage, and that Williams had failed to make contractually required payments. Williams filed an answer, subsequently amended, admitting that Williams had failed to make payments, but raising a series of affirmative defenses. Williams also set forth a series of counterclaims seeking damages for the alleged failure of BAC (and/or its predecessors in interest) to comply with several federal administrative code provisions and for negligence, product liability, lender liability, and strict liability. BAC moved to dismiss the counterclaims and further sought summary judgment on the foreclosure.

¶ 4 The summary judgment materials included certified copies of the original note and mortgage, which were both issued to One Choice Mortgage through its nominee Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., and an uncertified photocopy of an “Assignment of Mortgage” form. This form stated that Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. “assigns to BAC … the mortgage executed by [Williams] to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc., as mortgagee on the 25th of January, 2008, together with the previously transferred note secured thereby ….” The assignment form was accompanied by an affidavit from a BAC employee. The employee averred that she was a custodian of BAC’s business records, having

possession, control and responsibility for the accounting and other mortgage loan records relating to the defendants’ mortgage loan which are created and kept and maintained in the ordinary course of business as a regular business practice and are prepared at or near the time of the transaction or event by a person with knowledge.

The affidavit further stated that the employee had personally inspected the records relating to Williams, and had personal knowledge of how such records generally were created and kept and maintained.

¶ 5 The circuit court dismissed the counterclaims and granted summary judgment on the foreclosure, and Williams appeals.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 6 This court reviews summary judgment decisions de novo, applying the same methodology and legal standard employed by the circuit court. Brownelli v. McCaughtry, 182 Wis. 2d 367, 372, 514 N.W.2d 48 (Ct. App. 1994).

We first examine the complaint to determine whether it states a claim, and then we review the answer to determine whether it joins a material issue of fact or law…. [Next,] we examine the moving party’s affidavits to determine whether they establish a prima facie case for summary judgment. If they do, we look to the opposing party’s affidavits to determine whether there are any material facts in dispute that entitle the opposing party to a trial.

Frost v. Whitbeck, 2001 WI App 289, ¶6, 249 Wis. 2d 206, 638 N.W.2d 325 (citations omitted), aff’d, 2002 WI 129, 257 Wis. 2d 80, 654 N.W.2d 225.

DISCUSSION

Summary Judgment on the Foreclosure

¶ 7 Although Williams raises multiple arguments, we conclude that one issue is dispositive as to whether summary judgment was properly granted on BAC’s foreclosure action. Specifically, we agree with Williams that BAC failed to make a prima facie case that it was in fact the current holder of the promissory note.

¶ 8 We first question whether the form assigning the mortgage to BAC, and making reference to a “previously transferred note” was actually the effective instrument transferring the promissory note to BAC. If the note had in fact been previously transferred, it would seem that the prior document would be necessary to establish that transfer, and should have been included in the summary judgment materials. In any event, as discussed below, even assuming that the document assigning the mortgage to BAC also assigned the promissory note or could properly be used to document the assignment by reference, we conclude that the assignment document was insufficiently authenticated to satisfy the summary judgment standard.

¶ 9 Affidavits in support or in opposition to a motion for summary judgment “shall be made on personal knowledge and shall set forth such evidentiary facts as would be admissible in evidence.” Wis. Stat. § 802.08(3). In order to be admissible in evidence, a document must be authenticated by “evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent claims.” Wis. Stat. § 909.01. Certain documents may be self-authenticating, including certified copies of public records such as recorded instruments, and certified domestic records of regularly conducted activity. Wis. Stat. § 909.02(4) and (12). The rule on self-authentication for records of regularly conducted activity parallels the hearsay exception for such records, allowing admission of

a memorandum, report, record, or data compilation, in any form, of acts events, conditions, opinions, or diagnoses, made at or near the time by, or from information transmitted by, a person with knowledge, all in the course of a regularly conducted activity, as shown by the testimony of the custodian or other qualified witness.

Cf. Wis. Stat. §§ 908.03(6) and 909.02(12).

¶ 10 A records custodian seeking to authenticate a record must be qualified to testify both that the record at issue was made by a person with knowledge or from information transmitted by a person with knowledge, and that this was done in the course of a regularly conducted activity. Palisades Collection LLC v. Kalal, 2010 WI App 38, ¶20, 324 Wis. 2d 180, 781 N.W.2d 503. Being qualified means that the custodian possesses sufficient personal knowledge to testify about such things as who recorded or transmitted the information and the contemporaneousness of the record in relation to the events it purports to document. See id., ¶16.

¶ 11 We first note that the copy of the mortgage assignment form included in the summary judgment materials here was not certified, and therefore would not be admissible as a self-authenticated public record, even if it were recorded. Next, we question whether a form assigning a mortgage or promissory note from one party to another based upon consideration, constitutes “a memorandum, report, record, or data compilation” so as to qualify as a record of regularly conducted activity, subject to the self-authentication rule.

¶ 12 Even assuming for the sake of argument only that such a signed, notarized, and recorded instrument could be considered a “record” of regularly conducted activity, we are not persuaded that the BAC employee’s affidavit established that she was qualified to authenticate the assignment form here. The employee’s affidavit makes conclusory assertions parroting the statutory language that she has personal knowledge that the records in her custody are prepared in the ordinary course of business at or near the time of the transaction or event by a person with knowledge of the underlying transactions. However, it does not include any specific assertions to explain where the copy of the assignment form attached to her affidavit came from—for instance, whether it was made from the original, and if so, by whom. The fact that the employee may have been in a position to know how BAC prepared its account statements, which we would agree qualify as ordinary business records, does not mean that she was in a position to authenticate an uncertified copy of an instrument that she did not see executed.

¶ 13 Because the copy of the document purportedly assigning to BAC Williams’ mortgage—and by reference, the promissory note—was not properly authenticated, it did not meet the standard of admissible evidence required for summary judgment materials under Wis. Stat. § 802.08(3). Therefore, BAC failed to make a prima facie case that it had standing to foreclose based upon Williams’ failure to pay according to the terms of the promissory note. In light of BAC’s failure, we do not need to address whether any of the affirmative defenses asserted in Williams’ answer would also have created material disputes for the circuit court. Accordingly, we reverse the circuit court’s summary judgment decision and remand with directions that the matter proceed with discovery[2] and trial on BAC’s foreclosure claim.

Williams’ Counterclaims

¶ 14 Williams filed counterclaims alleging violations of 12 U.S.C. §§ 2605(b), 2605(c), 2605(e), 2605(e)(3), negligence, product liability, lender liability, and strict liability for alleged violations of the Truth in Lending Act.

¶ 15 Williams first argues that the circuit court violated due process by dismissing all counterclaims without providing an adequate opportunity to submit additional evidence. Williams correctly points out that when matters outside the pleadings are presented on a motion to dismiss, the motion shall be treated as one for summary judgment. Wis. Stat. § 802.06(2)(b). However, as we explained above, the first step in summary judgment methodology is to examine the sufficiency of the pleadings. If the pleadings do not state a claim upon which relief can be granted, there is no need for further analysis. Therefore, any error the circuit court may have committed in refusing to allow Williams to submit additional materials in response to BAC’s motion to dismiss was rendered harmless once the court determined that Williams’ pleadings in fact failed to state a claim, and the circuit court did not violate Williams’ due process rights by dismissing the counterclaims based on the pleadings alone.

¶ 16 Williams next contends that the circuit court applied the wrong standard in considering whether to dismiss the counterclaims because it did not mention the oft-cited language that a claim should be dismissed only if it is “quite clear” that under no circumstances could the plaintiff prevail. Instead, the circuit court cited Doe v. Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 2007 WI 95, ¶12, 303 Wis. 2d 34, 734 N.W.2d 827, for the proposition that “[d]ismissal of a claim is improper if there are any conditions under which the [pleading party] could recover.” The minor difference in language is a distinction without a difference. In short, we are satisfied the circuit court properly understood that it was to liberally construe the pleadings when testing their sufficiency.

¶ 17 Turning to the merits, Williams challenges the circuit court’s conclusion that the counterclaims of negligence, product liability, and strict liability were barred by the economic loss doctrine. Williams complains that the circuit court did not adequately explain why the economic loss doctrine applied to these claims, and why Williams did not qualify for an exception. The economic loss doctrine “preclud[es] contracting parties from pursuing tort recovery for purely economic or commercial losses associated with the contract relationship.” Kaloti Enterprises, Inc. v. Kellogg Sales Co., 2005 WI 111, ¶27, 283 Wis. 2d 555, 699 N.W.2d 205 (citations omitted). Contrary to Williams’ assertions, neither the status of being a consumer nor a lack of knowledge about the economic loss doctrine relieves a party from its constraints. Williams correctly points out that there is a limited exception to the economic loss doctrine when a contract was induced by fraud. See Digicorp, Inc. v. Ameritech Corp., 2003 WI 54, ¶¶51-52, 262 Wis. 2d 32, 662 N.W.2d 652. That exception does not apply here, however, because the instances of fraud Williams alleges in the complaint—namely, an erroneous real estate appraisal and a misrepresentation about whether a damages clause should apply to the APR rate—were allegedly committed by persons who were not employees of BAC or otherwise parties to the action.[3] In sum, Williams’ claims of negligence, product liability, and strict liability clearly lie in tort, and were plainly associated with contractual relationships arising out of a series of mortgages. The court did not need to say more to dispose of counterclaims six, seven and nine.

¶ 18 Williams presents no argument that the circuit court erred in the dismissal of the other counterclaims.

¶ 19 Finally, Williams contends the circuit court should have imposed sanctions on BAC based upon what Williams views as inaccurate statements in BAC’s filings to the court. However, the challenged statements appear simply to be legal propositions or characterizations that Williams disagrees with. The circuit court was well within its discretion to determine that there had been no ethical violation warranting sanctions.

By the Court.—Judgment reversed and cause remanded.

This opinion will not be published. See Wis. Stat. Rule 809.23(1)(b)5.

[1] All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2009-10 version unless otherwise noted.

[2] Williams complains that the circuit court ignored discovery requests, but does not specify what specific materials were sought. We therefore do not address any particular discovery matter in this appeal.

[3] Williams also contends that the circuit court should have granted Williams’ motion to add the appraiser and real estate broker to the action. As BAC points out, however, that motion was not filed until after the counterclaims had already been dismissed, and the alleged misconduct related to prior, satisfied mortgages that were not the subject of the current foreclosure action.

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Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. v. Reiley | Wisconsin Appeals Court Reverses “whose mortgage is in a superior position”

Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. v. Reiley | Wisconsin Appeals Court Reverses “whose mortgage is in a superior position”



COURT OF APPEALS

DECISION

DATED AND FILED


July 26, 2011

A. John Voelker

Acting Clerk of Court of Appeals




NOTICE



This opinion is subject to further editing. If published, the official version will appear in the bound volume of the Official Reports.


A party may file with the Supreme Court a petition to review an adverse decision by the Court of Appeals. SeeWis. Stat. § 808.10 and Rule 809.62.




Appeal No.

2010AP2336

Cir. Ct. No. 2008CV555

STATE OF WISCONSIN

IN COURT OF APPEALS


DISTRICT II




Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as

nominee for New Century Mortgage Corporation,

Plaintiff-Respondent,

v.

Steven M. Reiley, Sabrina L. Reiley and M&M Construction,

LLC,

Defendants,

Solutions Properties, Inc.,

Defendant-Appellant.



APPEAL from a judgment of the circuit court for Walworth County: JOHN R. RACE, Judge. Reversed and cause remanded for further proceedings.

Before Hoover, P.J., Peterson and Brunner, JJ.

¶1 PER CURIAM.   Solutions Properties, Inc., appeals a summary judgment in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”). The issue concerns whose mortgage is in a superior position. We conclude factual disputes precluded summary judgment and therefore reverse and remand.

¶2 This matter arises from the purchase of real estate in Lake Geneva by Steven and Sabrina Reiley from William Roth. The Reileys sought a mortgage from New Century Mortgage Corporation to finance the purchase. New Century approved a loan for $180,000 but required a first mortgage lien as security. The Reileys also planned to sign a mortgage with M&M Construction, LLC, for $45,000 at closing. Sheila and Michael Minon were owners of M&M, and the M&M mortgage related to home remodeling.

¶3 New Century sought a title commitment from New Millenium Title Corporation, located in Brookfield. New Millenium contracted with remote agent Gerald Wilcox to act as its agent to close the loan in Walworth County. The closing occurred on December 29, 2006. Sheila Minon recorded the M&M mortgage on January 9, 2007.[1] The deed from Roth and the mortgage to MERS, as nominee for New Century, were recorded on February 5, 2007.

¶4 Nearly a year after the sale to the Reileys, M&M assigned its mortgage to Solutions Properties. Solutions Properties’ principal operating officer, Douglas Norton, had contacted the Minons after their names came up as defendants in a foreclosure action. Norton was interested in purchasing their property before it went through foreclosure. Instead, Solutions Properties purchased M&M’s mortgage.

¶5 Prior to purchasing the M&M mortgage, Norton received a title report that showed the M&M mortgage to be in first priority. Norton also instructed his assistant to contact the Walworth County Register of Deeds to confirm that the M&M mortgage was recorded prior to other mortgages or liens on the property. Norton also testified at his deposition that the Minons told him “that there was a fire, that there was a $180,000 second mortgage that was put into the house to improve it and that satisfied any lingering question that I would have had about the 45,000 first and 180,000 second. That was a reasonable explanation to me.”

¶6 The Reileys subsequently defaulted on the loan to New Century. When a foreclosure action was about to be commenced, it was determined that the M&M mortgage was recorded prior to New Century’s mortgage. MERS then commenced this action for a declaratory judgment to determine the priority of the two mortgages. The circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of MERS, concluding that “the Defendant Solutions Properties was clearly on notice that the Plaintiff’s lien was a purchase money mortgage.” Therefore, the court reasoned that MERS’ mortgage had priority as a matter of law. Solutions Properties now appeals.

¶7 We review summary judgment independently, applying the same methodology as the circuit court. Green Spring Farms v. Kersten, 136 Wis. 2d 304, 315-17, 401 N.W.2d 816 (1987). The methodology is often recited and we need not repeat it. Summary judgment is appropriate when there are no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Wis. Stat. § 802.08(2).[2]

¶8 Solutions Properties argues that under Wis. Stat. §§ 706.08 and 706.09, the M&M mortgage is superior in priority because it was recorded earlier than the New Century mortgage. Solutions Properties contends that it was a good faith purchaser without actual or constructive notice of any adverse claims.

9 Wisconsin Stat. § 706.08(1)(a) protects purchasers of real estate against adverse claims that are not properly recorded as provided by law. See Associates Fin. Servs. Co. v. Brown, 2002 WI App 300, ¶9, 258 Wis. 2d 915, 656 N.W.2d 56. It provides that “every conveyance that is not recorded as provided by law shall be void as against any subsequent purchaser, in good faith and for a valuable consideration, of the same real estate or any portion of the same real estate whose conveyance is recorded first.” Wis. Stat. § 706.08(1)(a). A purchaser or mortgagee in good faith is one without notice of existing rights in land. Grosskopf Oil, Inc. v. Winter, 156 Wis. 2d 575, 584, 457 N.W.2d 514 (Ct. App. 1990). Wisconsin Stat. § 706.09(1) provides that “[a] purchaser for a valuable consideration, without notice as defined in sub. (2) … shall take” priority over an adverse claim. “To be entitled to the benefits of [§ 706.09], a purchaser must not have notice of the adverse claim ….” Schapiro v. Security Sav. & Loan Ass’n, 149 Wis. 2d 176, 186, 441 N.W.2d 241 (Ct. App. 1989). Though § 706.08 does not use the word “notice,” the requirement that a bona fide purchaser lack notice of an adverse claim has long been understood to be a part of the statute. Bank of New Glarus v. Swartwood, 2006 WI App 224, ¶24, 297 Wis. 2d 458, 725 N.W.2d 944.

¶10 MERS insists Solutions Properties is not a good faith purchaser without notice because, had Norton searched the record, he would have discovered the recording of the mortgage to New Century from the Reileys, which was recorded immediately after the deed. MERS argues that a review of that mortgage shows at the top of the first page in bold letters, “Purchase Money MORTGAGE.” MERS contends that under Northern State Bank v. Toal, 69 Wis. 2d 50, 230 N.W.2d 153 (1975), a purchase money mortgage is superior to any other claim as a matter of law.

¶11 However, MERS overstates the holding of Toal. The issue in that case was whether Toal’s purchase money mortgage on real estate took precedence over a judgment a creditor held against Toal before he acquired the real estate covered by the mortgage. Id. at 51. Toal listed the prior judgment as a debt when he made the home mortgage loan application. Id. at 51-52. He later defaulted on the mortgage payments, and the judgment holder and the lender disputed which took priority, the prior judgment or the purchase money mortgage. Id. Relying upon authority stating that a purchase money mortgage has priority over earlier judgments and judgment liens against the mortgagor, our supreme court ruled in favor of the lender. Id. at 55-56. The court considered, however, only the priority of a purchase money mortgage in relation to pre-existing judgments against the mortgagee, not one mortgage’s priority over another. Accordingly, Toal is not dispositive.

¶12 Here, a factual dispute concerning whether Norton performed a reasonable inquiry precluded summary judgment. For instance, Solutions Properties asserts that it contacted Sheila Minon, an M&M principal, and obtained a letter report from her. Solutions also called the register of deeds. MERS concedes that “both Ms. Minon and the register of deeds confirmed that M&M had a first mortgage,” but claims that Solutions Properties “should have been aware that these representations were contrary to the actual record.” However, MERS does not fully elaborate on exactly why this information was contrary to the record. In fact, the record showed that the M&M mortgage recorded prior to the New Century mortgage contained no indication that there were mortgages or liens that had priority.

¶13 In addition, MERS refers to closing documents, including a HUD-1 settlement statement reflecting that the parties to the closing anticipated that a second mortgage in the amount of $45,000 in favor of M&M was to be recorded after the mortgage to New Century. MERS also refers to the Reileys’ loan application that required New Century be granted a first mortgage lien on the real estate. However, it is unclear whether these documents were available in the public record, or if the documents were even referred to in the public record.

¶14 MERS also concedes a factual dispute concerning whether Sheila Minon told representatives of Solutions Properties “that M&M had a second mortgage that had been recorded as a first.” As mentioned previously, Norton testified at his deposition that the Minons told him “that there was a fire in the house” and that “there was a $180,000 second mortgage that was put into the house to improve it ….” MERS also insists that Solutions Properties “should have called New Century to inquire as to the nature of its interest ….” However, we have stated that purchasers for value are not required to see if there is any way conceivable that an interest might possibly be discovered. See Associates Fin. Servs., 258 Wis. 2d 915, ¶14.

¶15 Accordingly, we conclude the circuit court erred by determining that Solutions Properties was on notice of an adverse claim as a matter of law. We therefore reverse the grant of summary judgment and remand for further proceedings concerning the reasonableness of Solutions Properties’ inquiry.[3]

By the Court.—Judgment reversed and cause remanded for further proceedings.

This opinion will not be published. See Wis. Stat. Rule 809.23(1)(b)5.


[1] After closing, Wilcox hand delivered the documents to New Millennium, except for the mortgage to M&M, which was retained by Wilcox. Wilcox faxed to New Millennium the M&M mortgage. Copies of the deed and M&M mortgage as executed at the closing were sent to New Century for certification.

There are discrepancies between the certified M&M mortgage that was faxed to New Millennium and the M&M mortgage that was recorded in Walworth County. The first page of the certified mortgage states that the mortgage was subject to the first mortgage to New Century. The first page of the recorded M&M mortgage states that the mortgage was subject to “NONE.” The fourth page of the recorded mortgage shows a Liberty Banc Mortgage fax number while the certified mortgage does not.

[2] References to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2005-06 version unless noted.

[3] MERS also argues that the circuit court’s decision rested upon equitable principles. However, we cannot discern that the court based its ruling on equitable principles and therefore decline to address the doctrine of equitable subrogation.

[ipaper docId=61071374 access_key=key-k7h4apik40uvcx7fc30 height=600 width=600 /]

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AURORA v. Carlsen, Wis: Court of Appeals, 4th Dist. 2011 – REVERSED “FAILED MERS ASSIGNMENT, FAILED AFFIDAVIT, FAILED STANDING, FAILED CASE”

AURORA v. Carlsen, Wis: Court of Appeals, 4th Dist. 2011 – REVERSED “FAILED MERS ASSIGNMENT, FAILED AFFIDAVIT, FAILED STANDING, FAILED CASE”


AURORA LOAN SERVICES LLC,

PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT,

V.

DAVID J. CARLSEN AND NANCY L. CARLSEN,

DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS.

APPEAL from a judgment of the circuit court for Rock County:

JAMES WELKER, Judge. Reversed.

Before Vergeront, P.J., Lundsten and Blanchard, JJ.

¶1 LUNDSTEN, J. This appeal involves a foreclosure action initiated
by Aurora Loan Services against David and Nancy Carlsen. Following a court
trial, the circuit court granted judgment of foreclosure in favor of Aurora, finding
that Aurora is the holder of the note and owner of the mortgage and that the
Carlsens were in default. We conclude that the circuit court’s finding that Aurora
was the holder of the note, a finding essential to the judgment, is not supported by
admissible evidence. We therefore reverse the judgment.

Background

¶2 Aurora Loan Services brought a foreclosure suit against David and
Nancy Carlsen, alleging that Aurora was the holder of a note and owner of a
mortgage signed by the Carlsens encumbering the Carlsens’ property. The
Carlsens denied several allegations in the complaint and, especially pertinent here,
denied that Aurora was the holder of the note. Aurora moved for summary
judgment, but that motion was denied.

¶3 A trial to the court was held on June 9, 2010. Aurora called one of
its employees, Kelly Conner, as its only witness. Aurora attempted to elicit
testimony from Conner establishing a foundation for the admission of several
documents purportedly showing that Aurora was the holder of a note that
obligated the Carlsens to make payments and that the Carlsens were in default. It
is sufficient here to say that the Carlsens’ attorney repeatedly objected to questions
and answers based on a lack of personal knowledge and lack of foundation, and
that the circuit court, for the most part, sustained the objections. Aurora’s counsel
did not move for admission of any of the documents into evidence. After the
evidentiary portion of the trial, and after hearing argument, the circuit court made
findings of fact and entered a foreclosure judgment in favor of Aurora. The
Carlsens appeal. Additional facts will be presented below as necessary.

Discussion

¶4 It is undisputed that, at the foreclosure trial, Aurora had the burden
of proving, among other things, that Aurora was the current “holder” of a note
obligating the Carlsens to make payments to Aurora. Because Aurora was not the
original note holder, Aurora needed to prove that it was the current holder, which
meant proving that it had been assigned the note. There appear to be other failures
of proof, but in this opinion we focus our attention solely on whether Aurora
presented evidence supporting the circuit court’s findings that “the business
records of Aurora Loan Services show … a chain of assignment of that … note”
and that “Aurora is the holder of the note.”

¶5 As to assignment of the note, the Carlsens’ argument is simple: the
circuit court’s findings are clearly erroneous because there was no admissible
evidence supporting a finding that Aurora had been assigned the note. The
Carlsens contend that, during the evidentiary portion of the trial, the circuit court
properly sustained objections to Aurora’s assignment evidence, but the court then
appears to have relied on mere argument of Aurora’s counsel to make factual
findings on that topic. We agree.

¶6 We focus our attention on a document purporting to be an
assignment of the note and mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration
Systems to Aurora. At trial, this document was marked as Exhibit D. Although
Aurora’s counsel seemed to suggest at one point that certain documents, perhaps
including Exhibit D, were certified, the circuit court determined that the
documents were not certified. Under WIS. STAT. § 889.17,1 certified copies of
certain documents are admissible in evidence based on the certification alone.
Aurora does not contend that Exhibit D is admissible on this basis.

¶7 Aurora argues that Conner’s testimony is sufficient to support the
circuit court’s finding that Aurora had been assigned the note. Our review of her
testimony, however, reveals that Conner lacked the personal knowledge needed to
authenticate Exhibit D. See WIS. STAT. § 909.01 (documents must be
authenticated to be admissible, and this requirement is satisfied “by evidence
sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent
claims”). Relevant here, Conner made general assertions covering several
documents. Conner either affirmatively testified or agreed to leading questions
with respect to the following:

  • · She works for Aurora.
  • · She “handle[s] legal files” and she “attend[s] trials.”
  • · “Aurora provided those documents that are in [her] possession.”
  • · She “reviewed the subject file” in preparing for the hearing.
    • · She declined to agree that she is the “custodian of records for

Aurora.”

    • · She “look[s] at documentation … [does] not physically handle

original notes and documents, but [she does] acquire
documentation.”

  • · “Aurora [is] the custodian of records for this loan.”
  • · She is “familiar with records that are prepared in the ordinary course
    of business.”
  • · She has “authority from Aurora to testify as to the documents, of
    [Aurora’s] records.”

As it specifically pertains to Exhibit D, the document purporting to evidence the
assignment of the note and mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration
Systems to Aurora, Conner testified:

  • · Aurora has “possession of Exhibit D.”
  • · Exhibit D is “an assignment of mortgage.”

With respect to possession of Exhibit D, Conner did not assert that Exhibit D was
an original or that Aurora had possession of the original document. For that
matter, Conner did not provide a basis for a finding that any original document she
might have previously viewed was what it purported to be.2

¶8 Thus, Conner did no more than identify herself as an Aurora
employee who was familiar with some unspecified Aurora documents, who had
reviewed some Aurora documents, and who had brought some documents,
including Exhibit D, to court. Although Conner was able to say that Exhibit D, on
its face, was an assignment, she had no apparent personal knowledge giving her a
basis to authenticate that document. See WIS. STAT. § 909.01.

¶9 Aurora points to various provisions in WIS. STAT. chs. 401 and 403,
such as those relating to the definition of a “holder” (WIS. STAT.
§ 401.201(2)(km)), to a person entitled to enforce negotiable instruments (WIS.
STAT. § 403.301), and to the assignment of negotiable instruments (WIS. STAT.
§§ 403.203, 403.204, and 403.205). This part of Aurora’s argument addresses the
underlying substantive law regarding persons entitled to enforce negotiable
instruments, such as the type of note at issue here, but it says nothing about
Aurora’s proof problems. That is, Aurora’s discussion of the underlying law does
not demonstrate why Exhibit D was admissible to prove that Aurora had been
assigned the note and was, under the substantive law Aurora discusses, a party
entitled to enforce the note.

¶10 Similarly, Aurora discusses the relationship between a note and a
mortgage and, in particular, the equitable assignment doctrine. But here again
Aurora’s discussion fails to come to grips with Aurora’s failure to authenticate
Exhibit D, the document purporting to be an assignment of the note to Aurora.
Aurora points to testimony in which Conner asserted that Aurora acquired and
possessed Exhibit D, but possession of Exhibit D is meaningless without
authentication of the exhibit.

¶11 Aurora argues that we may look at the “record as a whole,”
including summary judgment materials, to sustain the circuit court’s factual
findings. Thus, for example, Aurora asks us to consider an affidavit filed with its
summary judgment motion. In that affidavit, an Aurora senior vice-president
avers that the note was assigned to Aurora, that the assignment was recorded with
the Rock County Register of Deeds, and that Aurora is the holder of the note. This
argument is meritless. Aurora was obliged to present its evidence at trial. It could
not rely on the “record as a whole” and, in particular, it could not rely on summary
judgment materials that were not introduced at trial. See Holzinger v. Prudential
Ins. Co., 222 Wis. 456, 461, 269 N.W. 306 (1936). For that matter, even if Aurora
had, at trial, proffered the affidavit of its senior vice-president, the affidavit would
have been inadmissible hearsay. See WIS. STAT. § 908.01(3) (“‘Hearsay’ is a
statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or
hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.”).

¶12 In sum, Aurora failed to authenticate Exhibit D, the document
purporting to be an assignment of the note. Thus, regardless of other alleged proof
problems relating to that note and the Carlsens’ alleged default, the circuit court’s
finding that Aurora was the holder of the note is clearly erroneous—no admissible
evidence supports that finding. Aurora failed to prove its case, and it was not
entitled to a judgment of foreclosure.

By the Court.—Judgment reversed.

Not recommended for publication in the official reports.

_______________________________________

1All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2009-10 version unless otherwise noted.
 2 Our summary of Conner’s testimony omits several assertions Conner made that were
stricken by the circuit court. Similarly, we have not included examples of the circuit court
repeatedly sustaining hearsay and foundation objections. For example, the court repeatedly
sustained objections to Aurora’s attempts to have Conner testify that Aurora “owns” the note.
Aurora does not and could not reasonably argue that the Carlsens have not preserved their
authentication objections. The Carlsens’ attorney repeatedly and vigorously objected on hearsay,
foundation, and authentication grounds. The record clearly reflects that the Carlsens were
objecting to the admission of all of Aurora’s proffered documents on the ground that Conner
lacked sufficient knowledge to lay a foundation for admission.

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WI Appeals Court “Defects In Publishing Summons in Wrong Paper” PHH MTG v. MATTFELD

WI Appeals Court “Defects In Publishing Summons in Wrong Paper” PHH MTG v. MATTFELD


PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION, PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT,
THE DAILY REPORTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, RESPONDENT,
v.
SCOTT P. MATTFELD AND SHELLEY P. MATTFELD, DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS.

No. 2010AP612.

Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, District II.

Opinion Filed: March 16, 2011.

Before Neubauer, P.J., Anderson and Reilly, JJ.

¶ 1 NEUBAUER, P.J.

Scott P. Mattfeld and Shelley P. Mattfeld appeal from an order denying their motion for relief from a default judgment of foreclosure entered in favor of PHH Mortgage Corporation.[1] They also appeal the circuit court’s order granting The Daily Reporter Publishing Company’s motion to quash a subpoena to testify. The Mattfelds contend that because of defects in the service of the summons and complaint the circuit court lacked the personal jurisdiction necessary to enter a default judgment. We agree. The record supports the Mattfelds’ contention that they are entitled to relief from judgment under WIS. STAT. § 806.07 (2009-10)[2] because PHH Mortgage failed to publish the summons in a newspaper likely to give notice in the area where Scott or Shelley resided, as required by WIS. STAT. § 801.11(1)(c). We reverse the circuit court’s order denying the Mattfelds’ motion for relief and remand with direction to vacate the default judgment.

BACKGROUND

¶ 2 PHH Mortgage filed a summons and complaint for foreclosure of mortgage on August 6, 2008, naming Scott P. and Shelley P. Mattfield. Attached to the complaint is a copy of the mortgage indicating the correct spelling of the Mattfelds’ surname. The record also includes an invoice from The Daily Reporter for the publication of a real estate notice (“PHH Mtge vs. Scott P. Mattfield”) on October 7, 14 and 21 of 2008, and proof of publication. The proof of publication contains a notarized statement by the publisher that The Daily Reporter “is a public newspaper of general circulation, printed and published daily … in the City of Milwaukee, in said county.”

¶ 3 PHH Mortgage filed a motion for default judgment on December 1, 2008. In support of its motion, PHH Mortgage submitted the proof of publication and two affidavits of nonservice completed by process server Dwayne Turner. The proof of publication and affidavits of nonservice reflect that throughout the period of attempted service, the Mattfelds were incorrectly identified as the Mattfields. At the court’s request, PHH Mortgage’s attorney explained in correspondence dated January 2, 2009, that “[c]opies of the summons and complaint were never sent to the Mattfields at the Lannon Road address in Menomonee Falls on the date of publication … because our process server had been unable to find either Scott or Shelley Mattfield during several visits to that address in August of 2008.” The letter listed PHH Mortgage’s attempt to locate the “Mattfields” which included Internet searches, directory assistance, divorce records and voting records. PHH Mortgage’s attorney also stated: “CCAP posted new address information for both Shelley and Scott Mattfield on 11/26/08; we will mail a copy of this letter to each address today.” On January 6, 2009, the circuit court, Judge Kathryn Foster presiding, entered an order for judgment and judgment of foreclosure and sale in the amount of $373,068.12.[3]

¶ 4 On July 29, 2009, Scott Mattfeld’s attorney wrote to Judge Foster to advise that “Scott P. Mattfeld (mistakenly named in the pleadings as Mattfield)” had not been aware of the foreclosure proceedings. He contended that there had been various serious jurisdictional defects in service, “(in addition to the misspelling of the defendants’ surnames),” namely: (1) PHH Mortgage had used The Daily Reporter, a Milwaukee county publisher of legal notices and not a publication of general circulation in Waukesha county and (2) PHH Mortgage had notice that the property was vacant and as early as November 12, 2008, had notice of the address changes from the post office but never sent a copy of the summons and complaint to either new address. Scott maintained that the court “in all probability lacked jurisdiction to enter the various judgments, orders and rulings” and enclosed a proposed temporary injunction for the court’s consideration pending the filing of a WIS. STAT. § 806.07 motion for relief from judgment. Judge Foster entered the temporary injunction on July 31, 2009.

¶ 5 On September 9, 2009, the Mattfelds filed a WIS. STAT. § 806.07 motion to vacate the judgment of foreclosure. The Mattfelds argued under § 806.07(1) that the judgment was void due to the court’s lack of jurisdiction resulting from the failure of service of process. The circuit court, Judge Donald J. Hassin now presiding, denied the Mattfelds’ motion to vacate and dismiss the complaint. The Mattfelds moved for reconsideration. The Mattfelds argued that PHH Mortgage had failed to exercise due diligence in service of process and that the publication and mail service attempt was insufficient. With respect to publication, the Mattfelds maintained that PHH Mortgage’s attempt to obtain substitute service via publication under WIS. STAT. § 801.11(1)(c) had failed because The Daily Reporter is a publication limited to Milwaukee and does not meet the standard for legal publication in Menomonee Falls under WIS. STAT. § 985.02(1), which requires that publication be made in “a newspaper likely to give notice in the area or to the person affected.” The Mattfelds anticipated presenting further evidence as to the October 2008 circulation numbers in Menomonee Falls for The Daily Reporter, Waukesha Freeman and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Mattfelds also cited PHH Mortgage’s failure to mail either of them a copy of the summons and complaint as a further shortcoming under § 801.11(1)(c).

¶ 6 The Mattfelds attempted to subpoena the publisher of the The Daily Reporter in order to obtain circulation information. The Daily Reporter sought, and was granted by the circuit court, an order to quash the subpoena. Following an evidentiary hearing on January 22, 2010, the circuit court denied the Mattfelds’ motion for relief from judgment. The Mattfelds appeal.

DISCUSSION

¶ 7 WISCONSIN STAT. § 806.07(1)(d) allows relief from a judgment or order if a “judgment is void.” A judgment is void for purposes of § 806.07 when the court rendering it lacked subject matter or personal jurisdiction. Richards v. First Union Secs., 2006 WI 55, ¶15, 290 Wis. 2d 620, 714 N.W.2d 913. A court gains jurisdiction over the parties only by valid personal and substituted service. See WIS. STAT. § 801.04; see also Span v. Span, 52 Wis. 2d 786, 789, 191 N.W.2d 209 (1971). Wisconsin compels strict compliance with the rules of statutory service, even though the consequences may appear to be harsh. Useni v. Boudron, 2003 WI App 98, ¶13, 264 Wis. 2d 783, 662 N.W.2d 672.

¶ 8 When a motion to reopen involves a question of proper service, the burden of proof is on the party seeking, pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 806.07, to set aside or vacate a default judgment. See Richards, 290 Wis. 2d 620, ¶27. The evidence necessary to set aside a default judgment is evidence sufficient to allow a court to determine that the circuit court’s findings of fact were contrary to the great weight and clear preponderance of the credible evidence. Id.

¶ 9 In their motion for postjudgment relief and on appeal, the Mattfelds challenge the sufficiency of service under WIS. STAT. § 801.11(1)(c) which governs personal jurisdiction. It provides that if “with reasonable diligence” a person cannot be served in person or by leaving a copy of the summons and complaint with a family member or competent adult at his or her usual place of abode, service may be made by publication. Sec. 801.11(1). Specifically,

(c) If with reasonable diligence the defendant cannot be served [in person or by leaving a copy of the summons and complaint with a family member or competent adult at his or her usual place of abode] service may be made by publication of the summons as a class 3 notice, under [WIS. STAT.] ch. 985, and by mailing. If the defendant’s post-office address is known or can with reasonable diligence be ascertained, there shall be mailed to the defendant, at or immediately prior to the first publication, a copy of the summons and a copy of the complaint. The mailing may be omitted if the post-office address cannot be ascertained with reasonable diligence.

The Mattfelds contend both that PHH Mortgage did not exercise reasonable diligence in serving them personally and that PHH Mortgage failed to comply with WIS. STAT. ch. 985 when it published the summons. Based on our review of the record, we conclude that the Mattfelds have demonstrated that the circuit court’s finding as to compliance with ch. 985 is contrary to the great weight of the evidence.

¶ 10 WISCONSIN STAT. § 985.02 governs “[m]ethod of notification.” It provides in relevant part that “[e]xcept as otherwise provided by law, a legal notice shall be published in a newspaper likely to give notice in the area or to the person affected.” (Emphasis added.) Proof of publication is required by WIS. STAT. § 985.12 in the form of an affidavit of printing “annexed to a copy of the notice clipped from the newspaper, and specifying the date of each insertion.” See[4] In contrast, PHH Mortgage’s proof of publication for notice of the sheriff’s foreclosure sale published in the Waukesha Freeman newspaper contains a statement from the billing coordinator for the Waukesha Freeman, “a public newspaper of general circulation, printed and published … in the City of Waukesha, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.” It is undisputed that at that time of publication the Mattfelds’ last known residence was in Menomonee Falls in Waukesha county, and that Scott Mattfeld still resided in Menomonee Falls in October 2008. § 985.12(1). Here, the affidavit of printing indicates that The Daily Reporter “is a public newspaper of general circulation, printed and published daily … in the City of Milwaukee, in said county.” While PHH Mortgage asserted that “The Daily Reporter is the predominant newspaper to publish legal notices in the Milwaukee Metropolitan area,” it failed to provide any evidence to that effect. Indeed, a later affidavit submitted by the publisher notes that “The Daily Reporter is a newspaper that is distributed throughout the State of Wisconsin,” but also states that it is “a qualified legal newspaper in Milwaukee County, but it is not a qualified legal newspaper in Waukesha County, where the property that is a subject of the action is located.”

¶ 11 While PHH Mortgage asserts that the Mattfelds failed to provide argument or authority as to why The Daily Reporter would not have given notice to the Mattfelds, the undisputed record as it stood at the time of the default judgment failed to establish that publication in a newspaper “printed and published daily … in the City of Milwaukee, in said county” would have been likely to provide notice to a resident of Menomonee Falls in Waukesha county.[5][6] Although The Daily Reporter publisher later averred that the newspaper is distributed throughout Wisconsin, the only mention of Waukesha county was that The Daily Reporter was not qualified in that county. This again failed to establish that publication in The Daily Reporter would have been likely to provide notice to a resident of Waukesha county. The circuit court’s finding to the contrary was against the great weight of the evidence of record at the time of the Mattfelds’ WIS. STAT. § 806.07 motion to reopen.

CONCLUSION

¶ 12 We conclude that the Mattfelds carried their burden of proving that PHH Mortgage’s notice by publication failed to effect service on them and thus, the court did not have jurisdiction when it entered the default judgment against them. We reverse the circuit court’s order denying the Mattfelds’ motion to reopen and we remand with direction to vacate the default judgment.

By the Court.—Orders reversed and cause remanded with direction.

Not recommended for publication in the official reports.

[1] The record reflects that Scott and Shelley Mattfeld were in the process of divorcing while this foreclosure action was proceeding. It was unclear during the circuit court proceedings whether Scott’s counsel was representing both Scott and Shelley; however, the appeal was filed naming both Scott Mattfeld and Shelley Mattfeld as appellants and no issue has been raised regarding the application of this appeal to Shelley. We therefore refer to the appellants as the Mattfelds.

[2] All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2009-10 version unless otherwise noted.

[3] The property was subsequently sold to PHH Mortgage at a sheriff’s sale.

[4] A qualified newspaper is defined under WIS. STAT. § 985.03. It sets forth the following “qualifications of newspapers” for purposes of publication of legal notices:

(1)(a) No publisher of any newspaper in this state shall be awarded or be entitled to any compensation or fee for the publishing of any legal notice unless, for at least 2 of the 5 years immediately before the date of the notice publication, the newspaper has been published regularly and continuously in the city, village or town where published, and has had a bona fide paid circulation:

1. That has constituted 50% or more of its circulation; and,

2. That has had actual subscribers at each publication of not less than 1,000 copies in 1st and 2nd class cities, or 300 copies if in 3rd and 4th class cities, villages or towns.

….

(c) A newspaper, under this chapter, is a publication appearing at regular intervals and at least once a week, containing reports of happenings of recent occurrence of a varied character, such as political, social, moral and religious subjects, designed to inform the general reader. The definition includes a daily newspaper published in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, devoted principally to business news and publishing of records, which has been designated by the courts of record of the county for publication of legal notices for a period of 6 months or more.

Sec. 985.03(1). We recognize that there is no requirement that a newspaper be the official newspaper of a municipality under WIS. STAT. § 985.06 to meet the requirements of WIS. STAT. § 985.02.

[5] We take judicial notice of the fact that a current “all county” search of the foreclosure notices listed on The Daily Reporter Web site returns 200 notices, all of which are for foreclosures in Milwaukee county. See http://foreclosures.dailyreporter.com/index.cfm?action=fc.list, (visited Jan. 30, 2011).

[6] While the Mattfelds contend that service was defective in other respects, we need not reach these issues. PHH Mortgage’s failure to effect service by publication disposes of all issues on appeal. See Sweet v. Berge, 113 Wis. 2d 61, 67, 334 N.W.2d 559, 562 (Ct. App. 1983) (if resolution of one issue disposes of the appeal, we need not address the other arguments raised).

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WI Appeals Court Reverses SJ “Affidavit Submissions, Do Not Authenticate Assignment and Note” PHH MTG v. KOLODZIEJ

WI Appeals Court Reverses SJ “Affidavit Submissions, Do Not Authenticate Assignment and Note” PHH MTG v. KOLODZIEJ


COURT OF APPEALS
DECISION
DATED AND FILED

March 10, 2011

STATE OF WISCONSIN

PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION

v.

ROBERT L. KOLODZIEJ AND DEBRA SNOBL, AS CO-PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ESTATE OFMARCELLA L. KOLODZIEJ,
DECEASED

Excerpts:

¶21 Because the assignment of the mortgage is neither authenticated by averments in an affidavit that would suffice at trial nor self-authenticated by means of a certified copy, it cannot be considered in determining whether PHH made a prima facie case for summary judgment.4

<SNIP>

¶28 Because PHH’s submissions do not provide authentication for the mortgage assignment and for the endorsed note, its submissions do not make a prima facie showing that it is the holder of the mortgage and note. The court therefore erred in granting summary judgment in PHH’s favor. This conclusion makes it unnecessary to address the Estate’s argument that, even assuming these documents were authenticated, PHH still did not make a prima facie case for foreclosure.7

continue below…

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[VIDEO] Michael Moore ‘America Is NOT Broke’, 400 Wall Streeters Have Our Money

[VIDEO] Michael Moore ‘America Is NOT Broke’, 400 Wall Streeters Have Our Money


Watch this video in it’s entirety. This is not about the right or the left or in between. This is about a plot for the rich to get richer and strip away your savings and your rights! Again, watch this video please and do not think for a moment this does not affect you. IT DOES!

This is about standing up for your rights!

America is NOT broke… Not by a long shot. The country is a wash in wealth and cash…It’s just that it’s not in your hands. It has been transferred in the greatest HEIST in History. From the workers and consumers to the banks and the portfolios of the Über rich.

Right now there are 400 Americans who have more wealth than half of all Americans combined.

M. Moore, WI Speech 3/5/2011

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WISCONSIN ‘Flawed Affidavits, SJ Reversed” BANK OF NEW YORK (BONY) v. CANO

WISCONSIN ‘Flawed Affidavits, SJ Reversed” BANK OF NEW YORK (BONY) v. CANO


BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATE-HOLDERS CWABS, INC. ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES SERIES 2006-14, C/O BAC HOME LOANS SERVICING, L.P., PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT,
v.
DIANE G. CANO AND UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF DIANE G. CANO [MARIO CANO], DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS,
MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR S&L INVESTMENT LENDING, INC., DEFENDANT.

No. 2010AP477.

Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, District IV.

Opinion Filed: January 20, 2011.

Before Vergeront, P.J., Lundsten and Blanchard, JJ.

¶ 1 PER CURIAM.

Diane and Mario Cano appeal a foreclosure judgment. The Canos contend that (1) the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion in granting the Bank of New York’s motion to reopen its foreclosure action against the Canos; and (2) the court erred in granting summary judgment to the Bank. We conclude that the court properly reopened the foreclosure action, but that the Bank did not establish a prima facie case for summary judgment. Accordingly, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.

Continue below…

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FULL DEPOSITION OF BANK OF AMERICA ROBO SIGNER RENEE D. HERTZLER

FULL DEPOSITION OF BANK OF AMERICA ROBO SIGNER RENEE D. HERTZLER


Be sure to catch the Full Depo of Renee Hertzler below after AP Alan Zibel’s article

Bank of America delays foreclosures in 23 states

By ALAN ZIBEL, AP Real Estate Writer Alan Zibel, Fri Oct 1, 7:46 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Bank of America is delaying foreclosures in 23 states as it examines whether it rushed the foreclosure process for thousands of homeowners without reading the documents.

The move adds the nation’s largest bank to a growing list of mortgage companies whose employees signed documents in foreclosure cases without verifying the information in them.

Bank of America isn’t able to estimate how many homeowners’ cases will be affected, Dan Frahm, a spokesman for the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank, said Friday. He said the bank plans to resubmit corrected documents within several weeks.

Two other companies, Ally Financial Inc.’s GMAC Mortgage unit and JPMorgan Chase, have halted tens of thousands of foreclosure cases after similar problems became public.

The document problems could cause thousands of homeowners to contest foreclosures that are in the works or have been completed. If the problems turn up at other lenders, a foreclosure crisis that’s already likely to drag on for several more years could persist even longer. Analysts caution that most homeowners facing foreclosure are still likely to lose their homes.

State attorneys general, who enforce foreclosure laws, are stepping up pressure on the industry.

On Friday, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal asked a state court to freeze all home foreclosures for 60 days. Doing so “should stop a foreclosure steamroller based on defective documents,” he said.

And California Attorney General Jerry Brown called on JPMorgan to suspend foreclosures unless it could show it complied with a state consumer protection law. The law requires lenders to contact borrowers at risk of foreclosure to determine whether they qualify for mortgage assistance.

In Florida, the state attorney general is investigating four law firms, two with ties to GMAC, for allegedly providing fraudulent documents in foreclosure cases .The Ohio attorney general this week asked judges to review GMAC foreclosure cases.

Mark Paustenbach, a Treasury Department spokesman, said the Treasury has asked federal regulators “to look into these troubling developments.”

A document obtained Friday by the Associated Press showed a Bank of America official acknowledging in a legal proceeding that she signed up to 8,000 foreclosure documents a month and typically didn’t read them.

The official, Renee Hertzler, said in a February deposition that she signed 7,000 to 8,000 foreclosure documents a month.

“I typically don’t read them because of the volume that we sign,” Hertzler said.

She also acknowledged identifying herself as a representative of a different bank, Bank of New York Mellon, that she didn’t work for. Bank of New York Mellon served as a trustee for the investors holding the homeowner’s loan.

Hertzler could not be reached for comment.


CONTINUE READING…..YAHOO

.

FULL DEPOSITION OF RENEE HERTZLER BELOW:

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Posted in assignment of mortgage, bank of america, bank of new york, bogus, chain in title, CONTROL FRAUD, deposition, foreclosure, foreclosure fraud, foreclosure mills, foreclosures, investigation, robo signers, stopforeclosurefraud.comComments (4)


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