Foreclosure / Amendments to Conform to Evidence: trial court erred in allowing Wells Fargo to amend its complaint during trial to conform to evidence presented of two unpled modification agreements – Tracey v. Wells Fargo...more
4/2/2018
/ Amended Complaints ,
Article III ,
Class Action ,
Class Certification ,
Condominiums ,
Declaration of Condominium ,
FCCPA ,
FDCPA ,
FDUTPA ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreclosure ,
Inequitable Conduct ,
Insurance Industry ,
Loan Modifications ,
Mortgages ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Standing ,
Tax Appeals ,
Time-Barred Claims ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Condition Precedent: trial court properly rejected motion to dismiss for failure to satisfy condition precedent of pre-litigation non-binding arbitration, required by Chapter 718, Florida Statutes,...more
3/23/2018
/ Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Citigroup ,
Condition Precedent ,
Deutsche Bank ,
ECOA ,
Eviction ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FCC ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Mortgages ,
Real Estate Market ,
RESPA ,
Statute of Limitations ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Unclean Hands ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Standing: borrower's standing arguments failed because they were based on notion that note changed hands after it was delivered to World Savings Bank in 2007, when in fact the note...more
3/5/2018
/ Article III ,
ATDS ,
Banking Sector ,
Damages ,
Debt Collection ,
Deutsche Bank ,
FDCPA ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Foreclosure ,
HSBC ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mechanics Lien ,
Mortgages ,
Policy Exclusions ,
Rite Aid ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Sufficient Nexus ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Tortious Interference ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
Misrepresentation/Concealment: genuine issues of material fact remained in dispute regarding whether board-certified real estate attorney committed fraudulent or negligent misrepresentation or concealment by falsely assuring...more
2/14/2018
/ Article III ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Breach of Contract ,
Condition Precedent ,
D&O Insurance ,
Diminution in Value ,
Easements ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FCCPA ,
FDCPA ,
Fifth Third Mortgage Company ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreclosure ,
Fraudulent Concealment ,
Guaranty Claims ,
Hearsay ,
Homestead Exemption ,
HSBC ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Misrepresentation ,
Mortgages ,
Old Republic Title ,
PNC ,
Real Estate Market ,
Regulatory Violations ,
RESPA ,
Standing ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Standing/Foreclosure: pursuant to Florida Rule of Procedure 1.260, the assignee of a note during pendency of a foreclosure acquires standing of original plaintiff lender - Spicer v Ocwen Loan...more
1/25/2018
/ Article III ,
Banking Sector ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FCCPA ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgage Fraud ,
Mortgages ,
Nationstar ,
Property Damage ,
RESPA ,
Sinkhole ,
Standing ,
State Farm ,
Statute of Limitations ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Foreclosure/Errors in Legal Description: error in legal description did not preclude judgment of foreclosure because property was sufficiently identified by accurate lot and tract, street address,...more
12/19/2017
/ Article III ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Comenity Bank ,
Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing ,
Debt Collection ,
Deutsche Bank ,
ECOA ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FCCPA ,
FDCPA ,
FDUTPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Receiver/Barton Doctrine: individual could not bring negligence action against discharged receiver of commercial property until individual first obtained leave to do so from the court that appointed...more
12/1/2017
/ Bank of America ,
Banking Sector ,
Barton Doctrine ,
Debt Collection ,
ECOA ,
Equitable Subrogation ,
Experian ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FCCPA ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgages ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Negligent Misrepresentation ,
RESPA ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Summary Judgment ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE FINANCIAL SERVICES UPDATE TITLE INSURANCE UPDATE -
Misrepresentation: developer entitled to directed verdict on claims of fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation asserted by condominium association...more
11/15/2017
/ Agricultural Land ,
Article III ,
Banking Sector ,
Business Records ,
Certiorari ,
Condominiums ,
Deutsche Bank ,
FCCPA ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Hearsay ,
HOLA ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgages ,
Negligent Misrepresentation ,
Preemption ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Market ,
RESPA ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Standing ,
State and Local Government ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo ,
Zoning Laws
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE FINANCIAL SERVICES UPDATE TITLE INSURANCE UPDATE -
Foreclosure: witness may testify as to business records of another company so long as that witness can lay proper foundation of personal knowledge...more
10/30/2017
/ Banking Sector ,
Condominiums ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Misrepresentation ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Nationstar ,
Real Estate Market ,
Tax Liens ,
Title Insurance ,
Venue ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
- Constructive Notice: a memorandum of agreement that is recorded in the official records of the county in which the property is located and refers to an unrecorded agreement entered into by the...more
10/9/2017
/ Advertising ,
Article III ,
Auto-Dialed Calls ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Class Action ,
Class Certification ,
Constructive Notice ,
Equifax ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FL Supreme Court ,
Foreclosure ,
HSBC ,
HUD ,
Insurance Industry ,
Late Notices ,
Mortgages ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Nationstar ,
Putative Class Actions ,
RESPA ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Summary Judgment ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Summary judgment: trial court erred by denying borrower’s motion to amend answer and defenses, and therefore erred in entering summary judgment in favor of lender. Reyes v BAC Home Loans Servicing...more
9/20/2017
/ Arbitration ,
Banking Sector ,
Class Action ,
Fidelity National Title Insurance Company ,
Financial Services Industry ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Professional Liability ,
Title Insurance ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure / Statute of Limitations: trial court improperly found that, because payments due under a note and mortgage were accelerated in a prior 2009 action, the second action filed over five...more
9/6/2017
/ Article III ,
Bank of America ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Indemnity ,
Insurance Industry ,
Lis Pendens ,
Mortgages ,
Sinkhole ,
Standing ,
Statute of Frauds ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank ,
Wells Fargo
Foreclosure: general reservation of jurisdiction in a foreclosure judgment is very limited, and certainly does not give trial court jurisdiction to eliminate a lien more than three years after Final Judgment of Foreclosure...more
9/1/2017
/ Article III ,
Bank of America ,
Banking Sector ,
Collateral Estoppel ,
Debt Collection ,
Economic Loss Doctrine ,
FCCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreclosure ,
Fraud ,
Indemnification ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Mortgages ,
Nationstar ,
Res Judicata ,
RESPA ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Title Insurance ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Short Sale/Statute of Limitations: Florida Statute section 95.11(5)(h)’s one year statute of limitations period does not apply to bar Bank’s cause of action for deficiency judgment arising...more
8/17/2017
/ Article III ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Class Action ,
Consent ,
Foreclosure ,
Fraud ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgages ,
Nationstar ,
Short Sales ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Tortious Interference
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Redemption: foreclosure sale conducted without knowledge of bankruptcy affirmed, but trial court orders denying mortgagor opportunity to redeem property before certificate of sale actually...more
8/8/2017
/ Banking Sector ,
Class Action ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgages ,
Nationstar ,
Policy Terms ,
TCPA ,
Title Insurance ,
Title Search ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Unsolicited Faxes
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Standing: note owner had constructive possession of promissory note in original servicer’s physically possession of blank-endorsed note when it filed the complaint, and had standing to...more
7/26/2017
/ Banking Sector ,
Citigroup ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Expert Testimony ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Quicken Loans ,
Res Judicata ,
RESPA ,
Standing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE-
Takings/Declaratory Relief: plaintiff’s request for a declaration that its further pursuit of a zoning application was futile was not a proper claim for declaratory relief – GolfRock, LLC v. Lee...more
7/14/2017
/ Article III ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Equitable Subrogation ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Lis Pendens ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
A significant change to one of the standard title insurance forms recently took effect. The new 2016 ALTA Commitment with Florida Modifications both streamlines the existing features of the title insurance commitment and, for...more
6/19/2017
/ ALTA ,
Banking Sector ,
Closing Protection Letters ,
Florida ,
Insurance Industry ,
Land Titles ,
Limitation of Liability Clause ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Policy Terms ,
Real Estate Market ,
Title Insurance
Real Property Update -
Lease: where lessee transfers leasehold interest to third party, but retains easement in leased property, lessee transfers less than “entire interest” in property, and such sublease not tantamount to...more
6/8/2017
/ Ad Valorem Tax ,
American Rule ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Banking Sector ,
Compensatory Damages ,
Embezzlement ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Leases ,
Mortgages ,
Title Insurance ,
Wells Fargo
Real Property Update -
Foreclosure/Standing/Lost Note: if plaintiff did not have right to enforce note when lost, plaintiff should present evidence of assignment from payee to plaintiff or affidavit of ownership - ...more
6/2/2017
/ Adverse Possession ,
Article III ,
Banking Sector ,
Breach of Contract ,
Breach of Warranty ,
Condition Precedent ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Due Process ,
Financial Institutions ,
Foreclosure ,
Fraudulent Transfers ,
Homeowners Association (HOA) ,
Homestead Exemption ,
Indemnification ,
Insurance Industry ,
Lis Pendens ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgage Servicers ,
Mortgages ,
Nationstar ,
Standing ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE:
Foreclosure/Conditions Precedent: plaintiff not required to given notice under section 559.715 as condition precedent to foreclosure, and plaintiff’s default notice to borrowers pursuant to...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure: final summary judgment in borrower’s favor inappropriate where borrower merely asserted that lender mistakenly filed copy of original note with court, instead of original, and where...more
5/9/2017
/ Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Deficiency Judgments ,
Due Process ,
Duty to Defend ,
Estoppel ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
HSBC ,
Insurance Industry ,
Insurance Litigation ,
Mortgages ,
Property Tax ,
Protective Orders ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Standing ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Vacation Rentals
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Attorneys’ Fees: mortgage foreclosure plaintiffs seeking attorney’s fees must support their claim with competent, substantial evidence of the number of hours worked and evidence that...more
4/25/2017
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Bad Faith ,
Bank of America ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing ,
Deutsche Bank ,
Estoppel ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
Homeowners Association (HOA) ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgages ,
Old Republic Title ,
Real Estate Market ,
Reverse Mortgages ,
Standing ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Deficiency Judgment: where a foreclosing bank acquires in rem jurisdiction via service by publication in underlying foreclosure action, bank may still seek personal service over an...more
4/12/2017
/ Acceleration ,
Banking Sector ,
Cause of Action Accrual ,
Closing Documents ,
Double Recovery ,
Duty to Defend ,
FDIC ,
Financial Institutions ,
First American Title Insurance Co. ,
Foreclosure ,
In Rem Jurisdiction ,
Insurance Industry ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Lis Pendens ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Personal Jurisdiction ,
Real Estate Market ,
Title Insurance ,
US Bank National Association ,
Wells Fargo
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE -
Foreclosure/Condition Precedent: servicer did not meet its burden of proving it satisfied condition precedent of giving notice of acceleration by failing to provide evidence that notice letter had...more
3/29/2017
/ Article III ,
Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon ,
Banking Sector ,
Citibank ,
Condition Precedent ,
Constructive Trusts ,
Deutsche Bank ,
Equitable Subrogation ,
Foreclosure ,
Insurance Industry ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Real Estate Market ,
Standing ,
Tax Liens ,
Title Insurance