Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Appeals Court Boots Back Another Florida Trial Judge's Rubber-Stamped F'closure Ruling; "Uncontested Facts Of Record" Show "No Evidence" Of Assignment

In Northern Florida, the state's First District Court of Appeal has recently issued this short & sweet unanimous ruling in a foreclosure action, vacating and booting back a rubber-stamped judgment of Walton County Circuit Court Judge Kelvin C. Wells (bold text is my emphasis, not in the original text):
  • In this mortgage foreclosure action, appellee, American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., obtained a final summary judgment. This judgment relies in part upon appellee's allegation that it is the assignee of the original holders of the mortgage and note executed by appellant. As all parties acknowledge, however, the uncontested facts of record do not establish that appellee is presently entitled to foreclose because the record contains no evidence of any assignment or comparable transaction.

    Accordingly, we VACATE the final summary judgment and REMAND this case for further proceedings.

For the ruling, see Kontos v. American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., Case No. 1D09-2803 (Fla. App. 1st DCA, August 10, 2010).

Attorney Matthew W. Burns, Destin, Florida represented the homeowner.