Monday, September 19, 2011

White Shoe Florida Law Firm Rushes To Defend Dubious Bankster Conduct With Rhetorical Flurry

In West Palm Beach, Florida, The Palm Beach Post reports:
  • The national law firm of Greenberg Traurig issued an alert(1) this week warning its lawyers that a 4th District Court of Appeal ruling in favor of Palm Beach County homeowners could "dramatically change the foreclosure landscape in Florida."


  • The Sept. 7 decision in the case of Gary and Anita Glarum vs. LaSalle Bank says that an affidavit of indebtedness submitted by the bank was hearsay because the person who signed it did not have personal knowledge of the case. It reversed a 2010 Palm Beach County Circuit Court summary judgment that said the Glarums owed the bank $422,677.


  • "This decision could have broad, sweeping application in the lending and loan servicing industries and affect thousands of foreclosure cases, among other types of cases, currently pending in Florida courts," says the alert posted on Greenberg Traurig's website.

***

  • Ice Legal of Royal Palm Beach represents the Glarums, who have been in foreclosure since 2008 and continue to live in the home. Ice Legal founder Tom Ice said the alert is a "transparent attempt to influence" the court to change its ruling.


  • "Being denied a prohibited shortcut may cost the banks a little more, but given that they are the deep pockets here, pockets lined with our own taxpayer money, the ruling is hardly unfair or earth-shaking," he said.

For more, see Law firm warns of foreclosure ruling's effect.

(1) See Lexology: The changing landscape of the business records exception under Florida law and its impact on Florida foreclosures (requires subscription; if no subscription, TRY HERE - then click the appropriate link for the story).