Lis Pendens: a party seeking to maintain a lis pendens must establish a “fair nexus” between the party’s claim and the subject property by making “a minimal showing that there is at least some basis for the underlying claim...more
7/25/2016
/ Banking Sector ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Debt Collection ,
Deutsche Bank ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Limitation of Liability Clause ,
Lis Pendens ,
Mortgages ,
Negligence ,
Real Estate Market ,
Title Insurance
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Unclean Hands: defense of unclean hands insufficient where borrower alleges bank’s loan officer inflated borrower’s income and assets to qualify for loan where borrower signed off on...more
7/21/2016
/ Bank of America ,
Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Breach of Contract ,
Deficiency Judgments ,
Denial of Insurance Coverage ,
Eviction ,
Foreclosure ,
Full Credit Bid ,
Illegal Contracts ,
Insurance Industry ,
Jurisdiction ,
Lienholders ,
Lis Pendens ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Motions to Quash ,
Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
Summary Judgment ,
Title Insurance ,
Unclean Hands ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Leave to Amend: borrower should have been granted leave to amend to assert affirmative defenses pursuant to motion filed 13 days before trial because there was no prejudice, the...more
7/11/2016
/ Bad Faith ,
Bank of America ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Class Action ,
Closing Protection Letters ,
Deficiency Judgments ,
Economic Loss Doctrine ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Foreclosure ,
Homeowners Association (HOA) ,
Insurance Fraud ,
Insurance Industry ,
Leave to Amend ,
Liens ,
Lis Pendens ,
Mortgage Fraud ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Old Republic Title ,
Prejudgment Interest ,
Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
Summary Judgment ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Standing/Hearsay: copy of a note with undated allonge containing blank endorsement sufficient to establish standing as a matter of law, even though bank did not have formal...more
6/22/2016
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Banking Sector ,
Deficiency Judgments ,
Equitable Subrogation ,
Financial Institutions ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Hearsay ,
HSBC ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Loan Modifications ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
Mortgages ,
Notice of Default ,
Post-Judgment Interest ,
Real Estate Market ,
RJ Reynolds ,
Standing ,
Subrogation ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Bankruptcy Stay: because borrower’s notice of appeal was filed during pendency of bankruptcy stay it was a nullity, and appellate court lacked jurisdiction to consider appeal –Hewett v....more
6/8/2016
/ Bank of America ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Class Action ,
Consumer Bankruptcy ,
Deutsche Bank ,
Discovery ,
Equitable Subrogation ,
Financial Institutions ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgages ,
Negligence ,
Real Estate Market ,
Sanctions ,
Short Sales ,
Standing ,
Stays ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Vicarious Liability ,
Wachovia ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Contracts/Personal Liability: official title of “President” underneath signor’s signature on contract did not shield individual from personal liability because contract language reflected...more
5/26/2016
/ Arbitration ,
Bank of America ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Consumer Bankruptcy ,
Countrywide ,
Credit Suisse ,
Deutsche Bank ,
Discovery ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Fifth Third Mortgage Company ,
Foreclosure ,
Hearsay ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Negligence ,
Notice of Default ,
Personal Liability ,
Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
Summary Judgment ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Standing: original allonge is part of original note and must be filed to prove standing; assignment of mortgage that did not assign note insufficient to establish standing to...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Sovereign Immunity: DOT prohibited from using sovereign immunity defense in negligence action resulting from railroad crossing accident where DOT bound by crossing agreement, including indemnity...more
4/12/2016
/ Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
HSBC ,
Insurance Industry ,
Jury Instructions ,
Mortgages ,
Railroads ,
Reformation ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
Sovereign Immunity ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Subrogation ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure: remittitur, rather than reversal of summary judgment, is proper where lender failed to provide sufficient evidence of late charges at summary judgment – Newman v. Ocwen Loan...more
4/6/2016
/ Anti-SLAPP ,
Business Records ,
Condominium Associations ,
Dismissals ,
Evidence ,
Foreclosure ,
HUD ,
Malicious Prosecution ,
Mortgages ,
Negligent Misrepresentation ,
PNC ,
Standing ,
Summary Judgment ,
Title Insurance
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Ad Valorem Taxation: lessee holding 99-year leasehold interest in unimproved land owned by government entity is not “equitable owner” and thus not liable for ad valorem property taxes pursuant to...more
3/30/2016
/ Ad Valorem Tax ,
Deutsche Bank ,
E&O Insurance ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Mortgages ,
Property Tax ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Title Insurance
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Standing: substitute plaintiff failed to establish standing to enforce note and fact that original plaintiff had filed original note endorsed in blank before assignment did not...more
3/24/2016
/ Article III ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Banking Sector ,
Deeds ,
Deficiency Judgments ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Foreclosure ,
Homestead Exemption ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Mortgages ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Reverse Mortgage: lender not entitled to accelerate debt on reverse mortgage after death of borrower where surviving spouse not designated a borrower on note, but designated a...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Discovery: trial court erred by declining to rule prior to trial on borrowers’ motion in limine seeking to exclude evidence contrary to bank’s “technical admissions” established by...more
2/24/2016
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Bad Faith ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Discovery ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Foreclosure ,
HSBC ,
Notice of Default ,
Service of Process ,
Standing ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
Real Property Update -
Foreclosure/Standing: filing of original note and mortgage with assignment after complaint filed does not establish standing to sue at inception of suit where endorsement undated and assignment...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Condition Precedent: providing a notice of the assignment of mortgage loan, as required by section 559.715, Florida Statutes, is not a condition precedent to filing a mortgage...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Amendment to Foreclosure Rules and Forms: Florida Supreme Court amended Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.115 and Forms 1.944 and 1.996 to conform with § 702.015, Fla. Stat. (2015) and “expedite...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Standing: because plaintiff was not original lender, plaintiff failed to prove standing to foreclose on mortgage loan where plaintiff failed to submit note with blank or special...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Priority: bank entitled to relief from judgment where junior lienholder foreclosed on subject property and Court ordered sale of property free and clear of all claims by bank – Bank of...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Property Damage/Breach of Contract: insurer failed to prove that it provided insured with notification of its right to mediate at the time insured made his claim pursuant to Florida Statutes,...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Eminent Domain: property owners forced to defend against excessive litigation caused by condemning authority entitled to attorneys’ fees: (1) for hours defending excessive litigation, fees should...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Documentary Stamp Tax: deferred interest on a “pick-a-payment” mortgage did not amount to future advance, which would have required payment of documentary stamp tax - Steinberg v. Wells...more
10/27/2015
/ Attorney Malpractice ,
Bank of America ,
Borrowers ,
Consumer Bankruptcy ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Debtors ,
Documentary Stamp Tax ,
Equitable Subrogation ,
Escrow Accounts ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Financial Institutions ,
Foreclosure ,
Homeowners ,
Insurance Industry ,
Loans ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
Mortgages ,
Summary Judgment ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Standing: although bank established it had possession of note prior to commencement of action, bank did not demonstrate when blank endorsement was placed on note, nor did it prove it...more
10/20/2015
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Breach of Contract ,
Compliance ,
Condominiums ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Eminent Domain ,
Estate Claims ,
Financial Institutions ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Homeowners ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Kickbacks ,
Mortgages ,
Referral Fees ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
RESPA ,
Service Agreements ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Summary Judgment ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Certiorari; discovery: Certiorari review was not available to an owner of property seeking review of a trial court’s order denying his discovery requests, where the order did not completely...more
10/13/2015
/ Appeals ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Certiorari ,
Closing Protection Letters ,
Deficiency Judgments ,
Discovery ,
Financial Institutions ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgages ,
Property Owners ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
Subject Matter Jurisdiction ,
Title Insurance
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Standing: owner, who took title to property after lis pendens was recorded and who did not appeal denial of motion to intervene, did not have standing to appeal judgment of...more
10/8/2015
/ Financial Institutions ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Inverse Condemnation ,
Mortgages ,
Motion To Intervene ,
Prejudice ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Takings Clause ,
Title Insurance
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Standing: plaintiff failed to meet the requirement of pre-suit ownership for standing where, although assignment contained a purported effective date before complaint was filed, it was...more