Central Florida Judges Hit With Federal Suit Over Implementation Of "Rocket Docket" Foreclosure Hearings

In Sarasota, Florida, the Sarasota Herald Tribune reports:

• Gregory Dixon and Maria Goldberg expect to lose their homes to foreclosure, so they have not appeared in court or tried to defend themselves. But they also think the way the judicial system handles uncontested foreclosure cases such as theirs violates the constitutional rights of all Sarasota and Manatee county residents, and they are asking a federal judge to step in.

• Their lawsuit against 12th Circuit Chief Judge Lee Haworth and two judges handling foreclosure cases argues that the courts should review cases to prevent lenders from taking homes based on incomplete or incorrect information. Their attorney, Richard Kessler, says judges have a responsibility to verify documents filed by lenders, and not doing so violates foreclosure defendants' rights to due process in court.(1)

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• Kessler's lawsuit argues that a new "rocket docket," where up to 250 uncontested foreclosures are heard in one day to help unclog the congested court system, only accelerates the problem. But, judges say, it is the defendants' job to challenge the documents being used by lenders to take their property.

For the story, see Homeowners contend courts must review documents.

For earlier stories on Sarasota's foreclosure "rocket docket," see:

• Two minutes, and home goes away,
• 'Rocket docket' for foreclosures begins,
• It's fast, furious at Sarasota's 'Rocket Docket' court.

For posts that reference the failure of mortgage lenders and their attorneys to file the proper paperwork when bringing foreclosure actions, Go Here, Go Here, Go Here, Go Here, Go Here, Go Here, and Go Here.

(1) Reportedly, Kessler conducted a study of 180 Sarasota County cases and found only one in four had complete paperwork. EpsilonMissingDocsMtg