Petition For Writ of Certiorari From A Non-Final Order
Petition For Writ of Certiorari From A Non-Final Order
Petition For Writ of Certiorari From A Non-Final Order
court Filing the original note indorsed in blank conclusively established that BAC
holds the note and proved its standing to maintain this action.
A written or recorded mortgage assignment is not necessary for foreclosure
standing and BAC does not have to reference or attach an assignment within the
complaint. This is because the mortgage follows the note -regardless of the
mortgage assignment See Perry v. Fairbanks Capital Corp., 888 So. 2d 725, 727
(Fla. 5th DCA 2004) ("A mortgage is the security for the payment of the negotiable
promissory note, land is a mere incident of and ancillary to such note."'); Mortgage
Elec. Registration Sys., Inc. v. Revoredo, 955 So. 2d 33, 34 n.2 (Fla. 3d DCA
2007) (mortgage security follows the note) (citing 37 Fla. Jur. 2d Mortgages 519
(2007); Chern. Residential Mortgage v. Rector, 742 So. 2d 300, 300-01 (Fla. 1st
DCA 1998) ("Because the lien follows the debt, there was no requirement of
attachment of a written and recorded assignment of the mortgage ... to maintain
the foreclosure action."); Margiewicz v. Terco Props., 441 So. 2d 1124, 1125 (Fla.
3d DCA 1983) ("When a note secured by a mortgage is assigned, the mortgage
follows the note into the hands of the assignee."); Vance v. Fields, 172 So. 2d 613,
614 (Fla. 1 st DCA 1965) ("An assignment of the mortgage without an assignment
of the debt creates no right in the assignee. ").
Finally, the trial court's finding that BAC must allege it owns and holds the
note and mortgage simply because Florida Rules of Civil Procedure Form 1.944
8
contrast to the newly enacted rule adopted by the Florida Supreme Court governing
the filing of foreclosure complaints.
Revised Rule 1.11 O(b), effective February 11, 2010, directs that foreclosure
complaints must be verified. It states: "When filing an action for foreclosure of a
mortgage on residential real property the complaint shall be verified." I t then
provides that verification of a document shaH be in the following fonn: "Under
penalty of perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing, and the facts alleged
therein are true and correct to the Qyst of my knowledge and b.elief." I d. (emphasis
added). The trial court mandated BAC file a verified amended complaint that
l2.r.ol}ibits the verification to be based on to "the best of my knowledge and
in direct contravention of the rule.
In amending rule 1.11 O(b), the Florida Supreme Court made clear that the
amendment applied only to verification of foreclosure complaints. See In re:
Amend. to the Fla. R. ofCiv. P, 44 So. 3d 555 (Fla. 2010). It stated:
Upon consideration of the Task Force's petition, the comments filed
and responses thereto, and the presentations of the parties at oral
argument, we adopt the Task Force's proposals with minor
modifications as discussed below. First, rule 1.110(b) is to
require _ verification of mortgage foreclosure involving
residential real property. The primary purposes of this amendment are
(1) to provide incentive for the plaintiff to appropriately investigate
and verify its ownership of the note or right to enforce the note and
ensure that the allegations in the complaint are accurate; (2) to
conserve judicial resources that are currently being wasted on
inappropriately pleaded "lost notel! .9..9unts and inconsistent
allegations; (3) to prevent the wasting of judicial resources and harm
10
to defendants resulting from suits brought by plaintiffs not entitled to
enforce the note; and (4) to give trial courts greater authority to
sanction plaintiffs who make false allegations.
Id. at 566 (emphasis added). The verification requirement does not apply to o t h ~ r
documents filed in foreclosure cases. An argument that the explicit language for
the verification set forth in the rule applies only to verification of other documents
filed in a foreclosure action, and not to verification of the foreclosure complaint
itself, has no merit in light of the express purpose of the rule revision enunciated
by the Supreme Court.
Further, section 92.525, Florida Statutes, the verification statute referenced
in the order, states that verification of a document can be on information and belief
when that language is permitted by law. FLA. STAT. 92.525(2) C'A written
declaration means the following statement: 'Under penalties of perjury, I declare
that I have read the foregoing [document] and that the facts stated in it are true,'
followed by the signature of the person making the declaration, except when a
verification on information or belief is permitted by law, in which case the words
'to the best of my knowledge and belief may be added.") Clearly, rule 1.1 OO(b)
permits foreclosure complaints to be verified "to the best of my knowledge and
belief" The trial court does not have authority under section 92.525 to mandate
different language. This would render section 92.525 unconstitutional to the extent
it conflicts with the rule 1.11 O(b) procedures governing foreclosure complaints.
11
See Haven Fed. Savs. & Loan v. Kirian, 579 So. 2d 730,732 (Fla. 1991) ("Where
this Court promulgates rules relating to the practice and procedure of all courts and
a statute provides a contrary practice or procedure, the statute is unconstitutional to
the extent of the conflict. IV).
It was improper for the trial court to prohibit verification of the amended
complaint on "best information and belief" when this language is required by rule.
On this point alone, the order departs from the essential requirements of law.
IV. THE ORDER CAUSES IRRE:PARABLE Hr
REMEDIED ON PLENARY APPEAL.
THAT CANNOT BE
The trial court's order causes irreparable harm that cannot be adequately
remedied on appeal. Hundreds of thousands of foreclosure cases are pending
across Florida
2
hundreds in the Sixth Judicial Circuit and this Court alone with
a significant number of these cases being heard by the trial judge below. BAC
obviously has a direct interest in thousands of pending foreclosure cases in Florida .
The trial court plainly misapplied Florida law and will continue to do so until it is
corrected. This will cause irreparable harm to BAC, hamper the orderly
2
. .. . _ ..
See, e.g., In re Final Report and Recommendations on Residential Mort.
Foreclosure Cases, No. AOSC09-54, 2009 WL 5227471 (Fla. Dec. 28, 2009) (In
ordering mediation in residential foreclosure cases, the Florida Supreme Court
explained that "[fJoreclosure case filings in Florida trial courts stood at nearly
369,000 in December 2008 ... Florida has the third highest mortgage delinquency
rate, the worst foreclosure inventory, and the most foreclosure starts in the nation.
At the close of 2009, it is estimated there will be an inventory of approximately
456,000 pending foreclosure cases statewide. ").
12
..
foreclosure process, and unnecessarily waste judicial resources.
As the Florida Supreme Court has explained, "the judicial policy in favor of
limited certiorari review is based on the notion that piecemeal review of non-final
trial court orders will impede the orderly administration of justice and serve only to
delay and harass." Jaye, 720 So. 2d at 215. Applied here, this Court's acceptance
of certiorari would significantly advance rather than inhibit the orderly
administration of justice.
Review of the trial court's order is warranted under these circumstances.
This is not a case where a litigant simply seeks to resolve an important issue before
final hearing in a particular case. This case involves a critical issue of Florida law
that impacts both this case as well as thousands of other pending foreclosure cases.
In this foreclosure crisis, even orders on motions to dismiss have a snow ball
effect. One trial judge misapplies the law in favor of a borrower, and, within days,
the one non-final order becomes the bases for hundreds of pleadings filed by
borrowers across Florida. The order in the case at hand, by itself, has the potential
to significantly delay for several months even resolution of thousand of
foreclosure cases in Florida.
Failure to correct and resolve the trial court's misapplication of Florida
foreclosure law could cause a large number of similar cases to be litigated on two
separate tracks (one under a correct application of Florida law and another under
13
the trial court's interpretation), lead to contrary foreclosure processes and
requirements imposed by different courts and different judges (including within the
Second District), and cause tremendous expense for the parties involved in those
cases. In addition, the failure to resolve this issue will result in an extreme and
unwarranted waste of judicial resources in the trial court, in this Court, and in the
many other courts in which these cases are heard. Because accepting jurisdiction
in this case would further the orderly administration of justice, this Court should
accept jurisdiction to review the trial court's order.
Timing is critical, which is an important, additional factor in support of
jurisdiction and review of the trial court's order. There is a critical state and
national interest in the orderly administration of the foreclosure process in
Florida to appropriately resolve pending foreclosure cases consistent with the
law, provide certainty for courts and litigants involved in foreclosure cases, and to
prevent harm to the economy through unnecessary confusion or delay in the
foreclosure process. Unfortunately, the trial court's order could cause these precise
impacts unless these critical issues are resolved by this Court.
The nature and scope of this injury cannot be meaningfully or adequately
corrected on plenary appeal. See, e.g., Batavia, Ltd. v. Us., 393 So. 2d 1207,
1208-9 (Fla. 1st DCA 1980) (reversing and remanding trial court order staying
prosecution of foreign company's mortgage foreclosure action unless company
14
obtained authority to transact business in Florida because appeal from eventual
final order would not provide entity "complete and adequate remedy"). Granting
certiorari is the only effective means to prevent this harm from occurring. In the
time between the trial court's order and a resolution of a plenary appeal -which
could be more than a year the injury will be compounded in the pending case and
spill over into hundreds of cases under a plainly incorrect application of law. Jaye,
720 So. 2d at 215 (explaining that a "petitioning party must establish that it has
suffered irreparable harm that cannot be remedied on direct appeal").
Under these extraordinary circumstances, this one nonfinal order will cause
irreparable harm spreading far beyond this case. The irreparable harm will
snowball until this Court quashes the order and gives clear direction to the trial
court's in the Second District as to the pleading requirements in foreclosure actions
and proper foreclosure complaint verification language.
CONCLUSION
, " '''"
This Court should: (1) grant this petition; (2) hold that the dismissal of the
complaint was improper because the complaint's allegation that BAC was the
holder of the note was legally sufficient to establish standing to foreclose; (3) hold
that it was improper for the trial court to mandate complaint verification language
contravening rule 1.1 OO(b); and (4) issue a writ of certiorari quashing the trial
court's order.
15
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
" .... """
I HEREBY CERTIFY that a copy of the foregoing and the appendix to this
Petition have been furnished by United States Mail to Bill R. Stentz, aka William
R. Stentz, clo Gregory D. Clark, Esq., 1201 S. Highland Ave., Ste. 9, Clearwater,
FL 33756; Jacldyn L. Stentz, c/o Gregory D. Clark, Esq., 1201 S. Highland Ave.,
Ste. 9, Clearwater, FL 33756 (Counsel for Respondents); Tierra Del Sol
Homeowner's Association, Inc. clo Rizzetta & Company, Inc., R.A., 5844 Old
Pasco Rd., Ste. 100, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544; and, Lindsey D. Lamb, Florida
Default Law Group, P.L., P.O. Box 25018, Tampa, FL 33622 (Trial Counsel) and
,
the Honorable Lynn Tepper, 38053 Live Oak Ave., Room 106B, Dade City, FL i
33523 (circuit judge who entered the order at issue), this 3
rd
day of January, 2011.
LESLIE UTIGER (22972)
Akerman Senterfitt
401 E. Jackson Street, Suite 1700
Tampa, Florida 33602
Telephone: 813-223-7333
Telecopier: 813-223-2837
1 esli e. [email protected]
WILLIAM P. HELLER (987263)
Akerman Senterfitt
Las Olas Centre II, Suite 1600
350 East Las 01as Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
Telephone: 954-759-8945
Te1ecopier: 954-463-2224
william. [email protected]
KATHERINE E. GIDDINGS (949396)
NANCY. M. WALLACE (65897)
Akerman Senterfitt
106 E. College Ave., Suite 1200
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Telephone: 850-224-9634
Telecopier: 850-222-0103
[email protected]
nancy. [email protected]
Attorneys for BAC Home Loans
Servicing, LP
16
CERTIFICATE OF FONT COMPLIANCE
'riO ..
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the font used in this brief is the Times New
Roman 14-point font and that the brief complies with the font requirements of Rule
9.21 O( a)(2) .
LESLIE UTIGER
17