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Posts published in August 2017

6th Cir. Rejects Municipality’s ‘Public Nuisance’ Claims Against Mortgage Lender

The U.S. Court of Appeal for the Sixth Circuit recently affirmed the dismissal of a municipality’s public nuisance claims against two different mortgage lenders for allegedly maintaining a policy of violating local and state building codes if the costs outweighed the value added to the eventual resale of foreclosed property. A copy of the opinion in City of Cincinnati v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company is available at:  Link to Opinion. The municipality brought multiple claims against the mortgage lender defendants alleging various claims concerning the maintenance and condition of REO properties.  Eventually, through multiple amended pleadings, stipulations and settlements, only one…

6th Cir. Questions Bank’s Contractual Limit on Liability for Fraudulent Checks

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently reversed the dismissal of a class action lawsuit filed by a bank account holder who asserted that the bank violated the Uniform Commercial Code 4-401 and 4-103(a), dealing with liability for fraudulent checks. The account holder experienced check fraud and the bank refused liability because the master services agreement for the account contained a liability waiver for failure to purchase fraud protection products, which the account holder had not done. A copy of the opinion in Majestic Building Maintenance, Inc. v. Huntington Bancshares Inc. is available at:  Link to Opinion. The…

Fla. App. Court (1st DCA) Holds Third-Refiled Foreclosure Action Not Barred by Res Judicata or SOL

The District Court of Appeal of the State of Florida, First District, recently affirmed the trial court’s entry of a final judgment of foreclosure, holding that because the complaint included at least some installment payments within five years of the filing of the complaint, the action was not barred by res judicata or the statute of limitations. A copy of the opinion in Forero v. Green Tree Servicing, LLC  is available at: Link to Opinion. Husband and wife borrowers defaulted on their mortgage loan in December 2008. The mortgagee filed a foreclosure action in February 2010, but voluntarily dismissed the case in…

9th Cir. Rules Mortgage Underwriters Not Exempt Under FLSA

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently held that mortgage underwriters were not exempt under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and were therefore entitled to overtime compensation for hours worked in excess of 40 per week. After analyzing the specific details of the underwriters’ responsibilities, the Ninth Circuit panel concluded that, because the underwriters’ primary job duty did not relate to their employer bank’s management or general business operations, the administrative employee exemption to the FLSA’s overtime requirements did not apply. Recognizing that there was a split between the Second Circuit and Sixth Circuit as…

7th Cir. Divided Panel Holds Debt Collector Liable Under FDCPA Despite Changes in Underlying Law at Issue

In a deeply divided opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, in an en banc review, reversed its previous opinion, Oliva v. Blatt, Hasenmiller, Leibsker & Moore, LLC, 825 F.3d 788, 791 (7th Cir. 2016), holding this time that a debt collector that relied upon circuit precedent interpreting the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) venue provision was not protected by the bona fide error defense. In so ruling, the Court also held that for purposes of compliance with the FDCPA, reliance on court precedent is permitted, but only if there can be no doubt whatsoever as to the accuracy…

3rd Cir. Holds Single Unsolicited Automated Call Enough to Confer Standing

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently held that a consumer satisfied the concreteness requirement for constitutional standing and asserted a valid cause of action under the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), where she alleged she received one unsolicited prerecorded phone call to her cell phone. Accordingly, the Third Circuit reversed the order of the trial court granting the defendant’s motion to dismiss. A copy of the opinion in Susinno v. Work Out World Inc. is available at:  Link to Opinion. The plaintiff consumer alleged that she received an unsolicited call on her cell phone from the…