Add Indiana AG To The "Sue Countrywide Hit Parade" - Seeks to Void Loans Originated Thru Deceptive Practices, Up To $15.5K Per Violation Of Law

From the Indiana Attorney General's Office:

• Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter has filed a lawsuit against the country’s largest mortgage lender, Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., and its parent company, Countrywide Financial Corporation. Carter alleges that Countrywide engaged in deceptive and misleading practices that led to borrowers obtaining potentially risky and costly loans. The lawsuit has been filed in Steuben County Court.

***

• Carter is requesting that the court order Countrywide to end the deceptive practices listed, void the prepayment penalties on Countrywide originated loans, and void any portion of the Countrywide originated loans resulting from deceptive acts.

***

• The state is also seeking civil penalties of up to $15,500 per violation, as well as investigative costs and consumer restitution in an amount to be determined at trial. The penalties are allowed under the Home Loan Practices Act, Indiana Code 24-9-8 which took effect July 1, 2005, and the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, Indiana Code 24-5-0.5.

For more, see Indiana AG takes Action against Mortgage Lender Countrywide for Unfair Practices.

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Connecticut AG The Latest To Jump On "Sue Countrywide" Bandwagon; Alleges Unfair, Deceptive Practices; Seeks To Rescind, Modify Mortgages

The Connecticut Attorney General's Office announced today:

• Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today announced his office has sued mortgage giant Countrywide Financial Corp. and related companies for allegedly pushing consumers into deceptive, unaffordable loans and workouts, and charging homeowners in default unjustified and excessive legal fees. Blumenthal's lawsuit seeks restitution for consumers as well as fines and forfeitures to the state for alleged violations of Connecticut consumer protection and banking laws. The action also asks the court to rescind, reform or modify all mortgages that broke state laws.(1)

***

• Blumenthal said, "Countrywide conned customers into loans that were clearly unaffordable and unsustainable, turning the American Dream of homeownership into a nightmare. When consumers defaulted, the company bullied them into workouts doomed to fail. Countrywide crammed unconscionable legal fees into renegotiated loans, digging consumers deeper into debt. The company broke promises that homeowners could refinance, condemning them to hopelessly unaffordable loans."

For more, see:

• Connecticut AG News Release: State Sues Countrywide For Allegedly Deceptive Loans And Loan Renegotiations, Unjustified Legal Fees;

• Lawsuit: State of Connecticut v. Countrywide Financial Corporation, et al.

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(1) According to the AG's news release, the lawsuit seeks civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation of state banking laws and up to $5,000 per violation of state consumer protection laws, disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains and an order compelling the company to cease its illegal practices, in addition to restitution for the consumer and invalidation or modification of the terms of all illegal mortgages. countrywide consumer problems

The Piling On Continues As City Of San Diego Civil Suit Charges Countrywide With Predatory Lending Practices; WaMu, Wells Fargo, Wachovia May Be Next

In San Diego, California, the San Diego Union Tribune reports:

• San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre is taking on the lending industry, filing suit Wednesday against Countrywide Financial, which he accuses of engaging in unlawful and fraudulent predatory lending that victimized numerous San Diego home buyers.

• His suit, which follows similar litigation filed against Calabasas-based Countrywide last month by State Attorney General Jerry Brown, seeks to halt foreclosures that are tied to risky, adjustable-rate loans made by the lender. It also seeks civil penalties of $2,500 per violation against each of the named defendants. Also targeted in the suit is Bank of America, which recently purchased Countrywide.

• In a press conference held in front of a vacant, partially burnt Skyline home that has recently been taken over by Countrywide, Aguirre said he hopes his suit will be a way to bring other lenders together to work out settlements with borrowers who are about to lose their homes or who already have been foreclosed on.

***

• While Aguirre said he also plans litigation against other lenders, including Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo and Wachovia Corp., he said his main goal is to resolve the issue of growing foreclosures “in an orderly way.”

For more, see Aguirre sets his sights on Countrywide.

See also, Reuters: San Diego sues Bank of America to halt foreclosures.

To view today's lawsuit brought by the City Attorney for the City of San Diego, see People v. Countrywide Financial Corp., et al.

City Attorney Aguirre has set up a hotline for all San Diego residents who are stuck with a Countrywide subprime mortgage. San Diegans facing foreclosure by Countrywide can call 619-533-5679 or go to the city attorney's Web site and click on the "Foreclosure Crisis" link. See Hotline Offered For Homeowners Facing Foreclosure With Countrywide.

For links to recent lawsuits filed by states targeting Countrywide, see Recap Of Recent State Actions Against Countrywide Financial.

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Illinois AG To Tag Countrywide, Mozilo With Civil Suit Related To Shaky Loans; Will Seek To Modify, Rescind Mortgages Made Thru Deceptive Practices

The New York Times reports:

• The Illinois attorney general is suing Countrywide Financial, the troubled mortgage lender, and Angelo R. Mozilo, its chief executive, contending that the company and its executives defrauded borrowers in the state by selling them costly and defective loans that quickly went into foreclosure.

• The lawsuit, which is expected to be filed on Wednesday in Illinois state court, accused Countrywide and Mr. Mozilo of relaxing underwriting standards, structuring loans with risky features, and misleading consumers with hidden fees and fake marketing claims, like its heavily advertised “no closing costs loan.” Countrywide also created incentives for its employees and brokers to sell questionable loans by paying them more on such sales, the complaint said.

• In reviewing one Illinois mortgage broker’s sales of Countrywide loans, the complaint said the “vast majority of the loans had inflated income, almost all without the borrower’s knowledge.”

For more, see Illinois To Sue Countrywide.

See also:

• Crain's Chicago Business: AG Madigan to sue Countrywide Financial for fraud (Illinois AG is seeking a judgment that will order Countrywide to rescind, reform or modify all of its mortgages that were obtained by the company’s alleged deceptive practices. She also wants restitution for borrowers who lost their homes due to Countrywide’s practices),
• The Associated Press: Ill. AG to sue Countrywide over lending practices.

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Washington State Files Administrative Action Accusing Countrywide Of Discriminatory, Predatory Lending Practices

In Seattle, Washington, The Seattle Times reports:

• Countrywide Home Loans is facing a $1 million fine and the loss of its mortgage business in Washington after a state agency determined that it charged minority borrowers more for its loans than it charged white borrowers in similar circumstances.

• The company also could be forced to pay restitution to at least 50 borrowers the state says were victimized by the company's discriminatory pricing, according to administrative charges filed Monday by the [Washington] State Department of Financial Institutions.

• The action is the state's first ever fair-lending case, and could pressure the company — and possibly other lenders — to modify loan terms for state homeowners who are struggling to repay mortgages with high interest rates that are continuing to climb, said Deborah Bortner, director of DFI's consumer services division.

For more, see State accuses Countrywide of discriminatory lending (Countrywide Home Loans is facing a $1 million fine and the loss of its mortgage business in Washington after a state agency determined that it charged minority borrowers more for its loans than it charged white borrowers in similar circumstances).

See also:

• Seattle Post Intelligencer: State accuses Countrywide of bias (It proposes fine of $1 million),
• Governor's office press release: Gov. Gregoire announces alleged discriminatory lending by Countrywide Home Loans.

To view the Statement of Charges filed by the state, see In re Countrywide Home Loans.

Go here and go here for other posts on alleged race bias in real estate transactions.

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West Virginia AG Sues Countrywide Over Unfair & Deceptive Lending, Servicing Practices; Seeks Rescission Of Bad Mortgages, Restitution For Borrowers

In Charleston, West Virginia, The Charelston Gazette reports:

• West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw filed suit [yesterday] against a mortgage lender, alleging it sold loans on terms that were "unaffordable and unconscionable," McGraw said a news conference today. The suit against Countrywide Financial Corp., Countrywide Home Loans Inc., Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP, Full Spectrum Lending Inc. and Countywide's chief executive officer Angelo R. Mozilo was filed [yesterday] in Putnam County Circuit Court. [...] Countrywide also "engaged in unfair and deceptive acts or practices in servicing loans," according to the suit.

***

• The suit seeks an injunction against Countrywide to stop the alleged practices and an order that all contracts and loan agreements using these practices be rescinded. Also, the suit asks that the consumers be awarded lost money and that Countrywide delete any negative reported credit history.

For more, see W.Va. AG files suit against mortgage lender.

From the Office of the West Virginia Attorney General:

• Copy of Lawsuit: State of West Virginia v. Countrywide Financial Corp., et al.,
• AG's press release.

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California AG Tags Countrywide, Mozilo With Civil Suit Related To Shaky Loans; Seeks To Restore To Borrowers Money/Property Lost Thru Deceptive Acts

In Los Angeles, California, Reuters reports:

• California Attorney General Jerry Brown sued Countrywide Financial Corp and two top officers on Wednesday to stop the mortgage loan company from allegedly perpetrating a scheme to "mass produce loans for sale on the secondary market."

***

• Brown's office said the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, also seeks unspecified restitution for homeowners(1) who were allegedly conned into risky, costly loans they did not understand by brokers desperate to meet unrealistic production goals. The suit further accuses Countrywide Chairman and Chief Executive Angelo Mozilo and David Sambol, president of Countrywide Home Loans Inc, of purposely easing underwriting standards for mortgages and home equity lines of credit in a play to double to company's share of the U.S. mortgage market.

• The Calabasas, California-based lender stands accused of deceptive advertising and unfair competition for its alleged misleading practice of emphasizing low introductory loan rates while hiding risky or costly terms and of routinely soliciting buyers to refinance shortly after their initial loans closed.

For more, see Calif AG sues Countrywide over alleged loan scheme.

From the California AG's Office:

• Read lawsuit: People of the State of California v. Countrywide Financial Corporation, et al. (approx. 1 MB),
• Press Release: Brown Sues Countrywide For Mortgage Deception.

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(1) California consumers who believe they have been victimized by Countrywide Consumers should file a complaint by contact the Attorney General’s Public Inquiry Unit in writing at Attorney General's Office California Department of Justice Attn: Public Inquiry Unit P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, California or through an online complaint form: http://ag.ca.gov/contact/complaint_form.php?cmplt=CL countrywide consumer problems

California AG Alleges "Shocking New Details" Of Countrywide Lending Practices In Amended Lawsuit Against Lender

From the Office of the California Attorney General:

• California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. [yesterday] disclosed “shocking new details” about Countrywide Financial’s deceptive business practices which included ignoring their own underwriting guidelines and rewarding employees for selling risky home loans. "These shocking new details provide further evidence of Countrywide's dangerous lending practices, which included ignoring borrowers' low credit scores and rewarding employees for selling risky loans," Attorney General Brown said. "In one case the company approved an adjustable rate mortgage to an 85-year-old disabled veteran with such a low credit score and high debt that he defaulted in less than six months."

• On June 20, 2008 Attorney General Brown sued Countrywide for engaging in deceptive advertising and unfair competition by pushing homeowners into risky loans for the sole purpose of reselling the mortgages on the secondary market. [Yesterday] Brown filed an amended lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court which reveals twenty new details about the company's scheme to deceive consumers into taking out dangerous mortgages. The information had been previously withheld from the complaint.

For more, see:

• California AG press release: Atty. Gen. Brown Discloses New Evidence Of Countrywide's Deceptive Practices,
• Amended Lawsuit: People v. Countrywide Financial Corp., et al.,
• Countrywide Lawsuit Frequently Asked Questions: (English) (Spanish).

For a story in The Wall Street Journal on the California AG's amended lawsuit, see Countrywide Filing Shines Light on Loans (may require subscription; if no subscription, try here - then click link for story, then refresh page if necessary).

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Illinois AG Alleges Large Scale Unfair, Deceptive Conduct In Suit Against Countrywide, Mozilo

In Chicago, Illinois, the Illinois Attorney General's Office today announced:

• Attorney General Lisa Madigan today filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against Countrywide, the nation’s largest mortgage lender and servicer. The complaint alleges that Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., and its parent company, Countrywide Financial Corporation, engaged in unfair and deceptive conduct on a large scale in creating, originating, marketing and servicing unnecessarily risky and costly mortgage loans for Illinois homeowners.

For the rest of the Illinois AG press release, see Illinois AG Madigan files Lawsuit Against Mortgage Giant Countrywide (Alleges Company Deceptively Sold Risky Loans Despite Borrowers’ Inability to Pay).

To read the lawsuit, see People of the State of Illinois v. Countrywide Financial Corporation, et al. (approx 3.32 MB).

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Countrywide's Loan Servicing Operations The Target Of FTC Investigation

Reuters reports:

• Countrywide Financial Corp, which was the largest U.S. mortgage lender before being acquired by Bank of America Corp, faces a Federal Trade Commission probe into whether its loan-servicing activities violated federal law. Countrywide in its quarterly report filed on Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said the FTC has issued civil investigative demands requiring it to provide documents. It said the agency is assessing whether activities related to Countrywide's $1.49 trillion servicing portfolio, covering roughly 9 million borrowers, violated laws the agency administers.

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• Separately, Countrywide is under investigation by the FBI, authorities have said. That agency last month said it had 21 corporate targets in its probe of potential corporate fraud in the mortgage industry.

For more, see Countrywide faces FTC probe over loan servicing.

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The End Of The Countrywide/Mozilo Story: "A Total Disaster ... His Ego Sank Him ... He Had To Be First In Everything"

The Los Angeles Times reports:

• Angelo R. Mozilo struggled last week to bid farewell to No. 1 home lender Countrywide Financial Corp., the company he led for 39 years only to see it toppled by misadventures in high-risk mortgages. The usually silk-smooth Mozilo garbled words and at one point knocked over his microphone at a special shareholder meeting. Looking grim and sounding resigned, he said the era of independent home lenders like Calabasas-based Countrywide was at an end. Still, he added, "Countrywide is a great American story."

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• "He was an admired and feared competitor," said Paul Muolo, an editor at industry newsletter National Mortgage News and co-author of a book on the lending debacle, "Chain of Blame," that is due out this month. "But now his reputation is trashed." [...] The end of the Countrywide story was "a total disaster," Muolo said. "His ego sank him. . . . He had to be first in everything."

For more, see Countrywide's Mozilo exits stage a fallen hero (The mortgage loan empire he created flies a new flag Tuesday as the lender is absorbed by Bank of America).

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Washington State Homeowners File Lawsuit Against Countrywide Alleging Violations Of State Consumer Protection Act, Seek Class Action Status

In Seattle, Washington, the Seattle Post Intelligencer blog recently reported:

• Add one more lawsuit to Countrywide's list of legal woes. Illinois and California have sued, accusing the lender of deceptive sales practices. Now borrowers, represented by the Seattle law firm of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, have sued in U.S. District Court in Seattle, accusing the lender of knowingly steering customers into high-risk loans and not disclosing the risks associated with them.

• They allege in the complaint that the lender misrepresented the terms of ARMs (adjustable-rate mortgages), marketed risky complex loans by emphasizing low teaser rates while misrepresenting later steep monthly payments and routinely encouraged borrowers to refinance only months after an affiliated broker sold them a loan.

For more, see Homeowners sue Countrywide.

For the lawsuit, see Buckley v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc.

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Evidence Of Countrywide's Missteps In Servicing Home Mortgages Litter Court Files Around The Country

A story was run recently in The Atlanta Journal Constitution on a fight Countrywide Home Loans faces with the U.S. Trustee in a Georgia Federal bankruptcy court for alleged mistakes and/or misconduct during the course of one particular consumer bankruptcy case. The story also describes the wrath directed towards Countrywide by judges around the country as a result of its "missteps" committed both in the servicing of home loans and in its conduct in the courts:

• A Texas judge, Jeff Bohm, rebuked Countrywide, Atlanta-based McCalla Raymer and a Texas law firm in a 72-page ruling [Judge Bohm's two-part ruling - Part I and Part II]. He found fault with each of the three parties' handling of a case in which Countrywide sought permission to foreclose on a homeowner who was up to date on payments. The Texas law firm hired by McCalla Raymer was singled out by the judge. "Above all else, what kind of culture condones its lawyers lying to the court and then retreating to the office hoping that the Court will forget about the whole matter?" Bohm wrote.

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• In Ohio and Florida, the U.S. Trustee's office has filed complaints in the past month seeking sanctions against Countrywide. In Ohio, Countrywide sought payments in bankruptcy court from a homeowner who had already paid off Countrywide. In Florida, Countrywide tried three times to foreclose on a homeowner who no longer owed Countrywide any money on the property.

• Countrywide has already been sanctioned in other cases. A judge in Pennsylvania sanctioned the lender for trying to foreclose on a couple in that state who had made required payments "like clockwork," according to the judge.

• Countrywide's Texas law firm was hit with a $75,000 sanction for its behavior in a case that included court filings that were "erroneous" and "clearly legal nonsense."

• A judge in North Carolina sanctioned Countrywide for twice changing the locks on a house that it had sought to repossess, even though the foreclosure had been stopped by a bankruptcy filing. Countrywide's agents disposed of the family's Christmas ornaments, family pictures and a christening dress when it improperly seized the home. "It is difficult to imagine more deliberate, unwarranted and egregious conduct," Judge Catharine R. Carruthers wrote when sanctioning Countrywide.

For the article, see Couple lose home in Countrywide dispute, but may yet win (Feds seek sanctions, say lender abused bankruptcy laws).

For an article examining mortgage companies frequent non-compliance with law in consumer bankruptcy cases, see Misbehavior and Mistake in Bankruptcy Mortgage Claims, by Katherine M. Porter University of Iowa - College of Law.

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Recap Of Recent State Actions Against Countrywide Financial

The following "scorecard" recaps the state legal actions taken against mortgage lender Countrywide Financial over the last week or so:

• Florida: Lawsuit; Attorney General Press Release,
• Illinois: Lawsuit; AG's Press Release,
• California: Lawsuit; AG's Press Release,
• Washington State: Administrative Charges; Governor's Press Release.

No word whether the timing of these court filings, along with this past Monday's NBC News report on an ex-Countrywide regional vice president blowing the whistle on the alleged shady corporate culture at the firm, were coordinated to coincide with Tuesday's closing of the Bank of America / Countrywide acquisition (possibly meant as "parting gifts" to now former CEO Angelo Mozilo) or whether it was all merely a coincidence.

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Illinois AG Help Line Flooded With Calls Since Filing Countrywide Lawsuit

In Illinois, the Naperville Sun reports:

• The Illinois attorney general's office is encouraging homeowners with a Countrywide Financial Corp. loan to seek professional help if they're questioning the terms of their loan. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan this week filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against the nation's largest mortgage lender and servicer, claiming the company used deceptive practices to lure borrowers into unaffordable loans.

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• A spokesman with Madigan's office said Thursday that consumers with a 30-year fixed mortgage should not be alarmed, but carefully reviewing all documents of the loan is recommended. "Make sure you actually have that fixed mortgage," spokesman Natalie Bauer said.

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• The attorney general's office also has provided a homeowners referral help line, 866-544-7151, which officials say has been inundated with calls.

For more, see Madigan advises home buyers to review Countrywide loans.

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Countrywide Ex-Regional Vice President Comes Forward, Speaks Out On Firm's "Shady" Corporate Culture

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams recently ran an investigative report in which a former regional vice president at mortgage lender Countrywide comes forward and describes what he felt were questionable lending practices that were allowed to go on at the firm.

For the story (video only), see Countrywide's 'shady' corporate culture.

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L.A. City Attorney Steps In To Stop Attempted Illegal Foreclosure Evictions

In Los Angeles, California, KABC-TV Channel 7 reports:

• [W]hat was once an eviction letter is now in shreds. City officials said the tenants at one South L.A. duplex and four other homes were illegally targeted for eviction by Countrywide after their landlords lost the buildings in foreclosures. "The brokerage house that represents Countrywide and sent that letter has agreed to rescind the letter today on this property by 2 o'clock," said L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.

• The problem is the building is rent-stabilized, which means the tenants, under city law, would be entitled to $6,800, all the way up to $17,000, if they were to be evicted. But the city says Countrywide is trying to skirt those payments.

• The letter sent to the renters offered just $1,000 if they cleaned up their apartments and left by August 1, 2008. "This letter was in violation of city laws which forbid eviction just because a property changes ownership due to foreclosure," said L.A. City Councilman Eric Garcetti. [...] Countrywide issued a statement [...] saying the eviction letters were the result of a mix-up by a real estate agent working with the Calabasas-based mortgage lender [...].

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• The City Attorney's office [...] has opened an investigation into Countrywide's dealings with renters and wants to hear from others who may have faced the same kind of illegal eviction that [one tenant feature in the story] narrowly escaped.

For more, see Eviction notices wrongly sent to renters. countrywide consumer problems equity skimming unwittingly digamma

Countrywide Caves In To Picketers, Public Outcry In Battle To Take Home From 72-Year Old Disabled Woman

In Detroit, Michigan, The Michigan Citizen reports:

• On Friday, July 25, a settlement between [72-year old Rubie Curl] Pinkins and Countrywide Home Loans, which is owned by the Bank of America, was reached in front of Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Susan Borman. The settlement maintains Pinkins in her home in exchange for payment from a reverse mortgage of the money she owed Countrywide at the time of redemption.

• Curl said community and church members, along with State Sen. Hansen Clarke and even Gov. Jennifer Granholm responded positively to her family’s call for support.

• On July 18, hundreds of community supporters rallied in front of the Pinkins home on Holden. On July 22, dozens demonstrated outside of the downtown Detroit Bank of America headquarters. [Attorney Vanessa] Fluker said she and Curl went inside to confront the vice-president there despite police attempts to remove the picketers, including Mrs. Pinkins in her wheelchair.

For more, see Pinkins foreclosure victory.

See also:

• Senior Lending Network Loan Saves 72-Year-Old Woman from Foreclosure,
• Detroit struggle stops eviction of Rubie Curl-Pinkins.

Go here for other posts on Rubie Curl Pinkins versus Countrywide. countrywide consumer problems

Protest Seeks To Block Countrywide From Booting Elderly Disabled Woman From Home Of 45 Years

In Detroit, Michigan, WWJ Newsradio 950 reports:

• Dozens of people gathered at the home of an elderly disabled woman to protest the foreclosure of her home in Detroit. Organizers say 72-year old Rubie Curl-Pinkins is one of the latest horror stories in the foreclosure crisis that is devastating Metro Detroit.

• According to Oak Park City Councilwoman, Angela Diggs Jackson who helped organize the protest, Countrywide and their law firm, Trott & Trott, have decided to evict Curl-Pinkins from her home of 45 years, rather than accept full payment through a reverse mortgage.

• Diggs Jackson says Curl-Pinkins is suffering from numerous physical disabilities. Her doctor has stated that being evicted from her home could have a devastating effect on her health. Her daughter, who also lives in the home on Holden Street, is also disabled, suffering from congestive heart failure and on oxygen to help her breathe.

• Vanessa Fluker, attorney for Curl-Pinkins, says she was able to get an emergency extension to allow her client to stay in the home until July 25th. Countrywide Home Loans has yet to comment on Curl-Pinkins case and the local law firm representing Countrywide, Trott and Trott said they could not comment.

Source: Protest Over Elderly Woman Losing Home.

See also:

• Local Woman, Friends Protest Eviction (read story) (watch video).
• Moratorium struggle builds, activists plan to stop eviction. countrywide consumer problems

Countrywide Fabricated Documents In Consumer Bankruptcy Case, Says Court Transcript

The New York Times reports:

• The Countrywide Financial Corporation fabricated documents related to the bankruptcy case of a Pennsylvania homeowner, court records show, raising new questions about the business practices of the giant mortgage lender at the center of the subprime mess. The documents — three letters from Countrywide addressed to the homeowner — claimed that the borrower owed the company $4,700 because of discrepancies in escrow deductions. Countrywide’s local counsel described the letters to the court as “recreated,” raising concern from the federal bankruptcy judge overseeing the case, Thomas P. Agresti. “These letters are a smoking gun that something is not right in Denmark,” Judge Agresti said in a Dec. 20 hearing in Pittsburgh.

***

• O. Max Gardner III, a lawyer in North Carolina who represents troubled borrowers, says that he routinely sees lenders pursue borrowers for additional money after their bankruptcies have been discharged and the courts have determined that the default has been cured and borrowers are current. Regarding the Hill matter, Mr. Gardner said: “The real problem in my mind when reading the transcript is that Countrywide’s lawyer could not explain how this happened.”

For more, see Lender Tells Judge It ‘Recreated’ Letters.

For additional documents in this case, see:

• Allegedly bogus letters from Countrywide,
• Transcript of Courtroom Exchange on the allegedly bogus Countrywide Letters.

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For more on the alleged misconduct and sloppiness by lenders and servicers against homeowners in the context of consumer bankruptcy cases, go here to download Misbehavior and Mistake in Bankruptcy Mortgage Claims, by Katherine M. Porter - University of Iowa - College of Law. questionable mortgage servicing practices tactics yak