Question: Are credit union Home Equity and/or Second Mortgages subject to modification by a debtor’s Chapter 13 Plan? Answer: Yes. In the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts located within the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and applicable to the Federal Bankruptcy Courts located within the State of Michigan, this issue is currently governed by the rulings in the case […]

In this case, two debtors applied for and closed on a mortgage with American General Finance, Inc. (hereinafter “American General”). The debtors represented to American General that they only had one mortgage on their residence. American General intended to grant the debtors a loan secured by a second mortgage; American General obtained a title search […]

In this case, the Colorado Court of Appeals held that the credit union’s lien on a borrower’s mobile home was superior to a mortgage held on the real estate upon which the mobile home was permanently built. Here, ENT Federal Credit Union (hereinafter “ENT”) granted a loan to Alice Ripley secured by her mobile home. The […]

In this case, the debtor filed successive Chapter 13 petitions for the apparent purpose of frustrating the debtor’s mortgage company from foreclosing on debtor’s real estate. The Court held that the successive bankruptcy filings were in bad faith and in violation of the Bankruptcy Code requirement that all filings must be in good faith. Costs […]

ISSUE:  Whether a mortgagee bidding total debt at foreclosure sale can recover post-foreclosure advances for repairs and/or improvements through a deficiency action against mortgagor. CONCLUSION: A mortgagee (Lender) cannot pursue a mortgagor for a deficiency arising from post-foreclosure advances expended to repair or improve the premises. When a mortgagee makes a full credit bid for […]

Here, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court ruled that a creditor’s recorded mortgage was invalid simply because the notary’s acknowledgement did not recite who appeared before the notary and acknowledged execution of the mortgage. In this case, debtors borrowed more than $148,000 from Calumet National Bank and signed a mortgage on their real estate securing the debt. […]

This California Appellate Panel rendered an opinion favoring creditors who refinance a debt in reliance upon a fraudulent financing statement, even though no new money is advanced. In this case, debtors had an existing loan with the bank and were unable to make the agreed payments. Debtors requested an extension of time to repay the […]

In the case of David Scoggin vs. Listerhill Employees Credit Union, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling in favor of the credit union. Here, the credit union repossessed a member’s Dodge Dynasty and sold the vehicle at auction for the highest bid of $5,000. The vehicle’s odometer displayed mileage of 18,334 miles, […]

Here, debtor, a former police officer, applied for and was approved for a loan from Hartford Police Federal Credit Union for $150,000. The loan was for the purpose of paying off an existing second mortgage on debtor’s residence and for the purchase of a business. At the closing on the credit union’s new mortgage, debtor executed the closing […]

Federal Regulation B entitles borrower to copy of real estate appraisal. Regulation B Amendments define the coverage of the appraisal requirements to be loans secured by a lien on a residential structure containing one-to-four units.  The regulation provides alternative methods of compliance with the law. Creditors may choose to automatically provide a copy of appraisal […]