Brooklyn Judge Strikes Again; Dismisses Foreclosure With Prejudice Where Assignment Of Mortgage Fails To Transfer Title To Promissory Note

In Brooklyn, New York, State Supreme Court Justice Arthur M. Schack has, in a recent ruling, added to the list of foreclosing lenders he has booted from his courtroom for filing lawsuits without having legal standing to do so.(1) According to Justice Schack:

• The instant June 16, 2009 assignment [of mortgage] from MERS, as nominee for FREMONT, to U.S. BANK is a nullity, because MERS, as nominee for FREMONT, did not assign the note, but only assigned "said Mortgage, and the full benefit of all the powers and of all the covenants and Provisions therein contained and the said Assignor hereby grants and conveys until the said Assignee, the Assignors beneficial interest under the Mortgage."

In addition, he cited upstate New York foreclosure mill operator Steven J. Baum, P.C. for an apparent conflict of interest in that it appears to be in violation of 22 NYCRR § 1200.0 (Rules of Professional Conduct, effective April 1, 2009) Rule 1.7, "Conflict of Interest: Current Clients." According to the court ruling, the Baum firm represents both MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS [MERS], as nominee for FREMONT INVESTMENT AND LOAN [FREMONT], the ineffective assignor of the instant mortgage, and plaintiff U.S. BANK, the ineffective assignee of the instant mortgage.

For Justice Schack's ruling, see U.S. Bank, N.A. v Emmanuel, 2010 NY Slip Op 50819 (NYS Supreme Court, Kings County, May 11, 2010).

(1) For links to over 30 of Justice Schack's court rulings in which he bounced unprepared foreclosing lenders and their lawyers out of his courtroom for sloppy an/or non-existent paperwork, see Brooklyn Trial Judge Nixes "Rubber Stamp Method" Of Adjudicating Foreclosures; Lenders, Lawyers Lacking Legal Standing To Bring Actions Get Bounced.

Go here for other posts on Justice Schack.