Title Insurance and Your Transaction
On March 8, 2024, the CFPB issued a blog post signaling a new front in its focus on “junk fees”—mortgage closing costs. Notably, the CFPB suggests that title insurance, credit report and appraisal, origination, and other...more
Real Property Update - Bert Harris Act: Certifying question whether the 2021 amendment to the Bert J. Harris Jr. Private Property Rights Protection Act clarifies the existing law so that plaintiff may maintain an action...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure: Trial court cannot arbitrarily reject evidence or testimony in a mortgage foreclosure proceeding, and lender that proved elements was entitled to foreclosure judgment – U.S. Bank, N.A....more
Financial Services Update - TILA / Definition of Creditor: entity that arranges for the extension of credit is not a “creditor” under TILA – Rosolen v. Home Performance Alliance, Inc., No. 19-cv-00024-JLB-NPM (M.D. Fla....more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure Sale / Challenge: borrower failed to meet his burden of establishing that gross inadequacy of foreclosure bid price resulted from "mistake, fraud or other irregularity" in the sale -...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Jurisdiction: section 720.04's exception to the local action rule is applicable where the cross-collateralized mortgages are construed as one instrument and the court has subject...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Redemption / Intervention: Claim for right of redemption procedurally barred once certificate of title issued; party failed to appeal earlier order denying right to intervene in...more
Real Property Update - Due Process: Trial court violated developer’s due process rights by considering and ruling upon developer’s motion to quash service of process, which was not set for hearing, despite developer’s...more
Financial Services Update - FDCPA & FCCPA / Debt Collection Activity / Monthly Mortgage Statements: Monthly mortgage statements required by TILA and sent to plaintiff did not amount to “debt collection” because they did...more
Financial Services Update - Title Insurance Coverage: where an accurate survey would have shown that seller had abandoned access and parking easement, which had been built upon by a neighbor, title insurer had no duty to...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure Sale: borrowers failed to allege adequate equitable factors and make proper showing to justify setting aside foreclosure sale, but instead re-litigate issues determined in underlying...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Res Judicata: res judicata did not apply where later foreclosure action was based on different period of default than the prior action on same loan - Bullock v. Bayview Loan Servicing,...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Standing: owner of property subject to mortgage at the time the complaint and lis pendens were filed had standing to dispute legal sufficiency of proof of amount due where owner was...more
Real Property Update - Attorneys' Fees / Voluntary Dismissal: it is an exception to the general rule that when a plaintiff voluntarily dismisses an action the defendant is the prevailing party, when both parties...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Summary Judgment: incorporation of an affirmative defense by referencing “previously filed pleadings” does not obviate movant’s obligation to comply with particularity requirements mandated by rule...more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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