• About
  • Buy Bankruptcy Adversary Package
  • Buy Foreclosure Defense Package
  • Contact Us
  • Donation
  • FAQ
  • Services

FightForeclosure.net

~ Your "Pro Se" Foreclosure Fight Solution!

FightForeclosure.net

Tag Archives: lien voidance

What Borrowers Must Know About Voiding Liens in a Mortgage

06 Sunday Oct 2019

Posted by BNG in Appeal, Bankruptcy, Banks and Lenders, Borrower, Case Laws, Case Study, Federal Court, Foreclosure, Foreclosure Crisis, Foreclosure Defense, Fraud, Judicial States, Legal Research, Litigation Strategies, Loan Modification, Mortgage fraud, Mortgage Laws, Non-Judicial States, Note - Deed of Trust - Mortgage, Pro Se Litigation, Real Estate Liens, State Court, Trial Strategies, Your Legal Rights

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

enforceability of judgment lien, Foreclosure, foreclosure defense, homeowners, involuntary liens, Lien, lien stripping, lien voidance, liens, Loan, Loan servicing, Mortgage loan, Mortgage modification, Mortgage servicer, Pro se legal representation in the United States, Property Lien Disputes, property liens, Real Estate Liens, Removing Liens, Types of Real Estate Liens, Unperfected Liens, voluntary liens

There are numerous methods for voiding questionable liens in any given mortgage. In this post, we’ll discuss an interesting decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Bankruptcy Adversary Proceeding.

This decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit poses a serious threat to mortgage companies that service mortgages of chapter 13 debtors. Mortgage servicers should be aware of the case’s implications and adjust their internal case monitoring procedures as necessary.

Consider a common situation. A borrower files a chapter 13 bankruptcy case, and her mortgage servicer files a proof of claim for the mortgage balance. The borrower then objects to the proof of claim based on some purported technicality: the signature was forged, the endorsement was improper, the servicer lacks standing to enforce the note, etc. For whatever reason, the mortgage servicer does not respond to this objection, and the claim is disallowed by default.

When this happens, the borrower will often attempt to leverage a favorable settlement, like a mortgage modification, by filing a lawsuit to void the mortgage under 11 U.S.C. § 506(d). This provision allows a bankruptcy court to void a lien if the lien secures a claim that is not “allowed.” Because the mortgage was “disallowed” by default due to the mortgage servicer’s failure to respond, this statute theoretically allows the court to void the mortgage altogether.

Courts generally do not void mortgages that are substantively valid but were disallowed because of a default. The most common solution in these situations is a settlement and a motion to reconsider the disallowance under 11 U.S.C. § 502(j). Bankruptcy courts may grant these motions for “cause” at their discretion, which is typically satisfied if the mortgage servicer can prove the substantive validity of the mortgage. See generally In re Oudomsouk, 483 B.R. 502, 513-14 (Bankr. M.D. Tenn. 2012). This works to everyone’s advantage: the mortgage servicer gets paid through the bankruptcy, and the debtor avoids the risk of post-bankruptcy foreclosure if the lien’s validity is ultimately upheld after the case concludes.

The decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in In re Blendheim may change this result. 2015 WL 5730015 (9th Cir. Oct. 7, 2015). In Blendheim, the debtors owned a condominium with two mortgages. After filing chapter 7 and obtaining a discharge of their unsecured debts, the debtors immediately filed a chapter 13 case to restructure their mortgages on the condominium (this process is known as a “chapter 20”). HSBC, the senior servicer, filed a proof of claim for the senior mortgage, but the debtors objected because (a) HSBC attached only the deed of trust, and not the promissory note, to the proof of claim, and (b) one of the signatures on the note was purportedly forged.

For reasons unknown, HSBC did not respond to the objection, and the bankruptcy court entered an order disallowing HSBC’s claim by default. Five months later, the debtors brought an adversary proceeding to void the mortgage under 11 U.S.C. § 506(d). Almost eighteen months after the bankruptcy court disallowed HSBC’s claim, HSBC filed a motion to reconsider the disallowance. HSBC also challenged the debtors’ attempt to void the mortgage because the disallowance was not actually litigated; it was the result of a default. The bankruptcy court disagreed, finding that (a) HSBC had no good reason for failing to respond to the claim objection, and (b) the statute plainly permitted lien avoidance in these circumstances. After the bankruptcy court confirmed the debtors’ plan, which provided for payment of only the junior mortgage, HSBC appealed.

On appeal, HSBC raised three primary issues. First, it argued that Section 506(d) should not operate to void its mortgage, notwithstanding the plain language of the statute, when the order disallowing the claim was not actually litigated but was based on a default. Second, it argued that even if the lien were properly voided under Section 506(d), the result could not be permanent because the debtors, having recently received a discharge in their chapter 7 case, were not eligible for a discharge in their chapter 13 case. Third, it argued that by losing its lien because of a default order in the bankruptcy case, as opposed to a formal lawsuit, it was denied due process.

The court disagreed with HSBC on each issue. First, it held that lien avoidance was appropriate. HSBC cited cases where courts refused to void a mortgage when a claim was disallowed for being filed late. The court distinguished these cases, holding that a creditor who files a late proof of claim is not “actively participating in the case” and therefore cannot have its state law lien rights impacted. See generally Dewsnup v. Timm, 502 U.S. 410, 418-19. But when a creditor timely files a proof of claim then willfully fails to respond to the debtors’ objection to the claim, the situation is fundamentally different. According to the court, the Bankruptcy Code plainly allows permanent lien avoidance when a creditor, like HSBC, “just sle[eps] on its rights and refuse[s] to defend its claim.” Blendheim, 2015 WL 5730015, at *11.

Next, the court addressed HSBC’s second argument and held that lien avoidance was appropriate even though the debtors were not eligible for a discharge. Acknowledging a split of authority, the court clarified that discharge affects only personal liability, not the in rem rights of creditors, so the cases on which HSBC relied were distinguishable. Nothing in the Bankruptcy Code prohibits lien avoidance just because a borrower has no right to a discharge.

Finally, the court held that HSBC’s due process was not offended. HSBC received notice of the claim objection and had ample time to respond.  Its failure to do so, while fatal to its lien, did not violate its due process rights.

What This Means for Mortgage Creditors

The Blendheim case may have serious implications for mortgage creditors. This situation is not an outlier: mortgage servicers commonly fail to respond to claim objections. his may be because of the quick deadline to respond to these objections or the use of separate legal counsel for handling administrative functions in bankruptcy versus defending adversary proceedings. Historically, when a claim is disallowed based on a creditor’s failure to respond to a claim objection, bankruptcy courts will grant a reconsideration motion under Section 502(j) if the creditor can prove the substantive validity of the mortgage.

After Blendheim, the result may be different. The Blendheim court, after all, did not seem to care about the underlying validity of HSBC’s claim. Instead, it focused on HSBC’s failure to respond without a good reason.

How does this Affect Mortgage Creditors

Mortgage servicers should be aware of this decision and should make sure that they are closely following the dockets of cases involving their borrowers in bankruptcy. If they don’t, they risk losing their mortgage lien, if any, altogether.

CASE STUDY:  HSBC v. BLENDHEIM

[The views expressed in this document are solely the views of the Author. This document is intended for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for consultation with a licensed legal professional in a particular case or circumstance]

When Homeowner’s good faith attempts to amicably work with the Bank in order to resolve the issue fails;

If you are a homeowner already in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy with questionable liens on your property, you needs to proceed with Adversary Proceeding to challenge the validity of Security Interest or Lien on your home, Our Adversary Proceeding package may be just what you need.

Homeowners who are not yet in Bankruptcy should wake up TODAY! before it’s too late by mustering enough courage for “Pro Se” Litigation (Self Representation – Do it Yourself) against the Lender – for Mortgage Fraud and other State and Federal law violations using foreclosure defense package found at https://fightforeclosure.net/foreclosure-defense-package/ “Pro Se” litigation will allow Homeowners to preserved their home equity, saves Attorneys fees by doing it “Pro Se” and pursuing a litigation for Mortgage Fraud, Unjust Enrichment, Quiet Title and Slander of Title; among other causes of action. This option allow the homeowner to stay in their home for 3-5 years for FREE without making a red cent in mortgage payment, until the “Pretender Lender” loses a fortune in litigation costs to high priced Attorneys which will force the “Pretender Lender” to early settlement in order to modify the loan; reducing principal and interest in order to arrive at a decent figure of the monthly amount the struggling homeowner could afford to pay.

If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation of losing or about to lose your home to wrongful fraudulent foreclosure, and need a complete package that will show you step-by-step litigation solutions helping you challenge these fraudsters and ultimately saving your home from foreclosure either through loan modification or “Pro Se” litigation visit: https://fightforeclosure.net/foreclosure-defense-package/

If you have received a Notice of Default “NOD”, take a deep breath, as this the time to start the FIGHT! and Protect your EQUITY!

If you do Nothing, you will see the WRONG parties WITHOUT standing STEAL your home right under your nose, and by the time you realize it, it might be too late! If your property has been foreclosed, use the available options on our package to reverse already foreclosed home and reclaim your most prized possession! You can do it by yourself! START Today — STOP Foreclosure Tomorrow!

 

Advertisement

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • San Fernando Valley Con Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Fraud Scheme that Targeted Vulnerable Homeowners
  • Mortgage Application Fraud!
  • What Homeowners Must Know About Mortgage Forbearance
  • Cosigning A Mortgage Loan: What Both Parties Need To Know
  • What Homeowners Must Know About Filing Bankruptcy Without a Lawyer: Chapter 13 Issues

Categories

  • Affirmative Defenses
  • Appeal
  • Bankruptcy
  • Banks and Lenders
  • Borrower
  • Case Laws
  • Case Study
  • Credit
  • Discovery Strategies
  • Fed
  • Federal Court
  • Foreclosure
  • Foreclosure Crisis
  • Foreclosure Defense
  • Fraud
  • Judgment
  • Judicial States
  • Landlord and Tenant
  • Legal Research
  • Litigation Strategies
  • Loan Modification
  • MERS
  • Mortgage fraud
  • Mortgage Laws
  • Mortgage loan
  • Mortgage mediation
  • Mortgage Servicing
  • Non-Judicial States
  • Notary
  • Note – Deed of Trust – Mortgage
  • Pleadings
  • Pro Se Litigation
  • Real Estate Liens
  • RESPA
  • Restitution
  • Scam Artists
  • Securitization
  • State Court
  • Title Companies
  • Trial Strategies
  • Your Legal Rights

Archives

  • February 2022
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • September 2020
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • September 2015
  • October 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013

Recent Posts

  • San Fernando Valley Con Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Fraud Scheme that Targeted Vulnerable Homeowners
  • Mortgage Application Fraud!
  • What Homeowners Must Know About Mortgage Forbearance
  • Cosigning A Mortgage Loan: What Both Parties Need To Know
  • What Homeowners Must Know About Filing Bankruptcy Without a Lawyer: Chapter 13 Issues
Follow FightForeclosure.net on WordPress.com

RSS

  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Tags

5th circuit court 9th circuit 9th circuit court 10 years Adam Levitin adding co-borrower Adjustable-rate mortgage adjustable rate mortgage loan administrative office of the courts adversary proceeding affidavits Affirmative defense after foreclosure Alabama Annual percentage rate Appeal Appeal-able Orders Appealable appealable orders Appealing Adverse Decisions Appellate court Appellate Issues appellate proceeding appellate record applying for a mortgage Appraiser Areas of Liability arguments for appeal Arizona Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution Asset Asset Rental Assignment (law) Attorney Fees Attorney general August Aurora Loan Services of Nebraska automatic stay avoid foreclosure Avoid Mistakes During Bankruptcy Avoid Mistakes in Bankruptcy bad credit score bank bank forecloses Bank of America Bank of New York Bankrupcty Bankruptcy bankruptcy adversary proceeding bankruptcy appeal Bankruptcy Appeals Bankruptcy Attorney bankruptcy code bankruptcy court Bankruptcy Filing Fees bankruptcy mistakes bankruptcy on credit report bankruptcy process Bankruptcy Trustee Banks Banks and Lenders Bank statement Barack Obama Berkshire Hathaway Bill Blank endorsement Borrower borrower loan borrowers Borrowers in Bankruptcy Boston Broward County Broward County Florida Builder Bailout Business Buy and Bail Buyer Buyers buying a house buying foreclosed homes California California Court of Appeal California foreclosure California Residents Case in Review Case Trustees Center for Housing Policy CFPB’s Response chapter 7 chapter 7 bankruptcy chapter 11 chapter 11 bankruptcy Chapter 11 Plans chapter 13 chapter 13 bankruptcy Chinese style name Chunking circuit court Citi civil judgments Civil procedure Clerk (municipal official) Closed End Credit Closing/Settlement Agent closing argument collateral order doctrine collection Collier County Florida Colorado Complaint Computer program Consent decrees Consequences of a Foreclosure Consumer Actions Consumer Credit Protection Act Content Contractual Liability Conway Cosigning A Mortgage Loan Counsels Court Court clerk courts Courts of Nevada Courts of New York Credit credit bureaus Credit Counseling and Financial Management Courses credit dispute letter credit disputes Credit history Creditor credit repair credit repair company credit report credit reports Credit Score current balance Debt Debt-to-income ratio debtor Deed in lieu of foreclosure Deed of Trust Deeds of Trust defaulting on a mortgage Default judgment Defendant Deficiency judgment deficiency judgments delinquency delinquency reports Deposition (law) Detroit Free Press Deutsche Bank Dingwall Directed Verdict Discovery dispute letter District Court district court judges dormant judgment Double Selling Due process Encumbered enforceability of judgment lien enforceability of judgments entry of judgment Equifax Equity Skimming Eric Schneiderman Escrow Evans Eviction execution method execution on a judgment Experian Expert witness extinguishment Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) Fake Down Payment False notary signatures Fannie Mae Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac federal bankruptcy laws Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Court federal courts Federal government of the United States Federal Home Loan Bank Board Federal Housing Administration Federal Judgments Federal Rules of Civil Procedure federal statute Federal tax FHA FICO Fictitious Loan Filing (legal) filing for bankruptcy Finance Finance charge Financial institution Financial reports Financial Services Financial statement Florida Florida Homeowners Florida Supreme Court Fonts Forbearance foreclose foreclosed homes foreclosing on home Foreclosure foreclosure auction Foreclosure Crisis foreclosure defense foreclosure defense strategy Foreclosure in California foreclosure in Florida Foreclosure laws in California Foreclosure Pending Appeal foreclosure process Foreclosure Rescue Fraud foreclosures foreclosure suit Forms Fraud fraud prevention Fraudulent Appraisal Fraudulent Documentation Fraudulent Use of Shell Company Freddie Mac fresh financial start Glaski good credit good credit score Good faith estimate Governmental Liability HAMP HAP hardship home Home Affordable Modification Program home buyer Home insurance homeowner homeowners home ownership Homes Horace housing counselor How Many Bankruptcies Can a Homeowner File How Much Debt Do I Need To File Bankruptcy HSBC Bank USA Ibanez Ibanez Case Identify Theft injunction injunctive injunctive relief installment judgments Internal Revenue Service Interrogatories Investing involuntary liens IOU issuance of the remittitur items on credit report J.P. Morgan Chase Jack Conway Jack McConnell joint borrowers JPMorgan Chase JPMorgan Chase Bank Juarez Judgment judgment creditors judgment expired Judgments after Foreclosure Judicial judicial foreclosures Judicial States July Jury instructions Justice Department Kentucky Kristina Pickering Landlord Language Las Vegas late payment Late Payments Law Lawsuit lawsuits Lawyer Lawyers and Law Firms Lease Leasehold estate Legal Aid Legal Aid by State Legal Assistance Legal burden of proof Legal case Legal Help Legal Information lender lenders Lenders and Vendors lending and servicing liability Lien liens lien stripping lien voidance lifting automatic stay Linguistics Lis pendens List of Latin phrases litigator load modification Loan Loan Modification Loan Modification and Refinance Fraud loan modification specialists Loan origination loans Loan Servicer Loan servicing Los Angeles loses Making Home Affordable Massachusetts Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Mastropaolo MBA Letter MBIA McConnell Means Test Forms Mediation mediation program Medical malpractice MER MERS Michigan Monetary Awards Monetary Restitution money Montana mortgage Mortgage-backed security Mortgage Application Fraud Mortgage broker mortgage company Mortgage Coupon Mortgage Electronic Registration System Mortgage fraud Mortgage law mortgage lender Mortgage loan mortgage loan modification mortgage loan modifications mortgage loans Mortgage mediation Mortgage modification Mortgage note mortgages Mortgage servicer Mortgage Servicing Fraud motion Motion (legal) Motion in Limine Motions National Center for State Courts National City Bank National Mortgage Settlement Natural Negotiable instrument Nelva Gonzales Ramos Nevada Nevada Bell Nevada Foreclosure Nevada mortgage loans Nevada Supreme Court New Jersey New Mexico New York New York Stock Exchange New York Times Ninth Circuit non-appealable non-appealable order Non-judicial non-judicial foreclosure non-judicial foreclosures Non-judicial Foreclosure States Non-Judicial States non-recourse nonjudicial foreclosures North Carolina note Notice Notice of default notice of entry of judgment Nueces County Nueces County Texas Objections Official B122C-2 Official Form B122C-1 Ohio Options Oral argument in the United States Orders Originator overture a foreclosure sale Owner-occupier Payment Percentage Perfected periodic payments personal loans Phantom Sale Plaintiff Plan for Bankruptcy Pleading post-judgment pre-trial Pro Bono Process for a Foreclosure Processor Process Service Produce the Note Promissory note pro per Property Property Flip Fraud Property Lien Disputes property liens pro se Pro se legal representation in the United States Pro Se Litigating Pro Se litigator Pro Se trial litigators Protecting Tenant at Foreclosure Act Protecting Tenants PSA PTFA public records purchase a new home Quiet title Real estate Real Estate Agent Real Estate Liens Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act Real property RealtyTrac Record on Appeal refinance a loan Refinance Fraud Refinancing registered judgment Regulatory (CFPB) relief remittance reports remove bankruptcy remove bankruptcy on credit report Remove Late Payments Removing Liens renewal of judgment renewing a judgment Reno Reno Air Request for admissions Rescission Residential mortgage-backed security Residential Mortgage Lending Market RESPA Restitution Reverse Mortgage Fraud Rhode Island robert estes Robert Gaston Robo-signing Sacramento Scam Artists Scope Secondary Mortgage Market Securitization securitized Security interest Se Legal Representation Self-Help Seller servicer servicer reports Services servicing audit setting aside foreclosure sale Settlement (litigation) short sale Short Sale Fraud Social Sciences Social Security South Dakota Special agent standing state State Court State Courts state law Statute of Limitations statute of limitations for judgment renewals statute of repose stay Stay of Proceedings stay pending appeal Straw/Nominee Borrower Subpoena Duces Tecum Summary judgment Supreme Court of United States Tax lien tenant in common Tenants After Foreclosure Tenants Without a Lease Tennessee Texas The Dodd Frank Act and CFPB The TRID Rule Thomas Glaski TILA time-barred judgment Times New Roman Times Roman Timing Title 12 of the United States Code Title Agent Tolerance and Redisclosure Transferring Property TransUnion trial Trial court TRO true owners of the note Trust deed (real estate) Trustee Truth in Lending Act Tuesday Typeface Types of Real Estate Liens U.S. Bancorp U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission UCC Underwriter Uniform Commercial Code United States United States Attorney United States Code United States Congress United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit United States Department of Housing and Urban Development United States Department of Justice United States district court United States District Court for the Eastern District of California United States federal courts United States federal judge Unperfected Liens US Bank US Securities and Exchange Commission valuation voluntary liens Wall Street Warehouse Lender Warehouseman Washington Washington Mutual Wells Fargo Wells Fargo Bank withdrawal of reference write of execution wrongful foreclosure wrongful foreclosure appeal Wrongful Mortgage Foreclosure Yield spread premium

Fight-Foreclosure.com

Fight-Foreclosure.com

Pages

  • About
  • Buy Bankruptcy Adversary Package
  • Buy Foreclosure Defense Package
  • Contact Us
  • Donation
  • FAQ
  • Services

Archives

  • February 2022
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • September 2020
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • September 2015
  • October 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • FightForeclosure.net
    • Join 338 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • FightForeclosure.net
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
%d bloggers like this: