Title Insurance and Your Transaction
New York AG Letitia James announced a settlement with Fidelity National Financial, Inc. to resolve allegations that the title insurance company entered into no-poach agreements in violation of state antitrust laws....more
Here is what we cover in this issue of The Title Reporter: A Legal Update for the Title Insurance Industry •A federal district court in New York granted summary judgment in favor of a title insurance company and its...more
In its recent decision, Villanueva v. Fidelity National Title Company, --- P.3d ---, No. S252035, 2021 WL 1031874 (Cal. Mar. 18, 2021), the California Supreme Court rejected an expansive view of the immunity afforded to title...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure: Where the foreclosure defendant was properly served, and default and default final judgment was entered against said defendant, the defendant can only contest the unliquidated damages...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Law of the Case: Motion to vacate that attempted to re-litigate issues on standing that had been rejected on direct appeal was precluded by the law of the case doctrine – Schwartz v....more
Real Property Update - Forum Selection / Equitable Tolling of Statute of Limitations: Equitable tolling was inapplicable where FDIC failed to raise running of statute of limitations in defense of federal court's dismissal...more
Real Property Update - Construction Lien: a delinquency charge of 1.5 percent found in materialman's contract with general contractor is not a finance charge recoverable under the materialman lien statute, Florida Statutes...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Doc Stamps: failure to pay documentary stamp and intangible taxes on increased principal balance under loan modification rendered final foreclosure judgment unenforceable - Schroeder v....more
There’s some surprise market wheeling and dealing afoot this morning. The Hong Kong stock exchange has offered to buy its London counterpart as part of a deal valued at $37 billion that would connect “the established...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Condo Assessments: under section 718.116(1)(a), Florida Statutes, present condo owner is jointly and severally liable with the previous owner for unpaid assessments and related expenses...more
Title Insurance Update - Bad Faith: granting title insurer summary judgment and holding that bad faith claim under Alabama law requires a contract claim so strong that a prejudgment verdict would be required on it - Fidelity...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Loan Modification: foreclosing plaintiff was required to allege and prove default of loan modification agreement after trial court found the loan modification to be the operative...more
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
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
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
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Lis Pendens: a proper reading of Florida Statute section 48.23(1)(d) is that “when a foreclosure action is prosecuted to a judicial sale, that sale discharges all liens, whether...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure: where a valid mortgage properly encumbers the subject property, an incorrect deed and a reformation of deed count are not fatal to a foreclosure action - Heartwood 2, LLC v. Dori, Case...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure – Involuntary Dismissal: although lender’s witnesses failed to explain lender’s loan payment history statement, the statement reflected the principal amount due and had been admitted...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Hearsay/Business Records: trial court abused its discretion by excluding the mortgage records, which included records from a prior servicer, where plaintiff’s witness demonstrated...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Vacation of Subdivision Plats: boards of county commissioners have limited authority under Fla. Stat. sec. 177.101(3) to grant or deny platted property owner’s request for vacation of plat; if...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE: Foreclosure/Standing: where copy of note attached to foreclosure complaint contained no endorsement and original note presented at trial had endorsement in favor of plaintiff, plaintiff required to...more
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
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
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
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