Advanced Pleadings Search

 This is a 2019 complaint filed by Legal Services of Northern California in California Superior Court involving a reverse mortgage.  Soon after the plaintiff’s husband’s death, the plaintiff applied to the creditor to stay in her home through the MOE (mortgage option election) program. However, defendants erroneously denied her application and instead started the foreclosure process. The complaint seeks to stop the imminent foreclosure sale and compel defendants to honor her MOE application and allow her to remain living in her home.

Sample discovery requests from a case involving failure to properly apply payments and failure to provide a timely and accurate payoff quote. Case litigated by Rachel Scott, Atlanta Legal Aid. 

Sample discovery requests from a case involving failure to properly apply payments and failure to provide a timely and accurate payoff quote. Case litigated by Rachel Scott, Atlanta Legal Aid. 
 

This document contains sections of legal argument for a brief in response to Motion to Dismiss on damages issues including statutory damages, pattern and practice, actual damages, causation. Such issues commonly are raised by defendants in mortgage servicing cases. Additional case citations and explanation on these issues are contained in NCLC's Mortgage Servicing and Loan Modifications.

Brief Regarding Statutory Authority for RESPA loss mitigation rules. Brief explains the statutory authority for the RESPA Regulation X loss mitigation and QWR rules and explains that certain case law predating the CFPB’s 2014 rule is now outdated. Case litigated by Phillip Robinson, Consumer Law Center LLC.

Complaint involving RESPA claims for failure to correct a servicing error related to payment application issues. The case was litigated by Phillip Robinson, Consumer Law Center LLC. 

Complaint regarding loss mitigation rule violations; failure to get to a complete application, failure to timely evaluate a complete application. Sample based on a complaint crafted by Legal Services of South Central Michigan.

Expert Witness report from a case alleging that high-cost closed-end mortgage was disguised as open-end credit (a home equity line of credit, or HELOC) to take advantage of less strenuous TILA disclosure rules. Expert report analyzes the factors for detecting spurious open-end credit. (Note, this expert testimony was not allowed by the trial judge, who deemed it to be an opinion on a conclusion of law rather than a factual issue. However, the analysis applied here may be helpful for attorneys in framing this argument in your cases.)
 

This Wisconsin small claims court complaint brought by a consumer against a party to a rent-a-bank scheme demonstrates another approach to challenge rent-a-bank schemes, even where the bank is considered the true lender.  The consumer can assert non-usury claims against the bank's partners.  The company "renting" the bank may be liable as someone who arranges or brokers the loan.  In Wisconsin the company may have to be licensed and comply with the requirements of the state credit services organization act.

This June 16, 2025 memorandum of law opposing a motion to compel arbitration was filed in a federal court case in the District of New Jersey.  The case involves a home equity investment (HEI) mortgage, in which homeowners receive a lump sum in exchange for a share of their home's future value, typically upon sale or refinance. Unlike traditional loans, HEIs do not involve monthly payments or interest charges. The investor's return is tied to the appreciation of the home's value.

This is an Oct. 21, 2020, answer, special defenses and counterclaims to a judicial foreclosure of a zombie second mortgage filed in Connecticut Superior Court. This is foreclosure of zombie second after twelve years of inaction, defenses focus on state law claims of abandonment and laches. Borrower brings counterclaim of quiet title. Prepared by Christopher G. Brown, Esq.

This is a Dec. 2, 2020, brief opposing the creditor’s motion to strike the homeowner’s answer, special defenses and counterclaims to a judicial foreclosure of a zombie second mortgage filed in Connecticut Superior Court. This is foreclosure of zombie second after twelve years of inaction, defenses focus on state law claims of abandonment and laches. Borrower brings counterclaim of quiet title. Prepared by Christopher G. Brown, Esq.

This is borrower’s memo opposing summary judgment as to the borrower’s Substitute Answer with Special Defenses, filed March 28, 2022, in Connecticut Superior Court to a judicial foreclosure action involving a zombie second mortgage. The borrower raises defenses of laches, abandonment, breach of contract, and TILA (periodic statements). Pleadings prepared by David Lavery of Connecticut Fair Housing Center. Connecticut Superior Court. 

This is a decision denying the creditor’s summary judgment motion to strike the borrower’s Substitute Answer with Special Defenses, filed Sept. 22, 2022, by the Connecticut Superior Court in a judicial foreclosure action involving a zombie second mortgage. The borrower raises defenses of laches, abandonment, breach of contract, and TILA (periodic statements). Homeowner was represented by David Lavery of Connecticut Fair Housing Center. 

This is borrower’s Substitute Answer with Special Defenses filed January 12, 2022, in Connecticut Superior Court to a judicial foreclosure action involving a zombie second mortgage. The borrower raises defenses of laches, abandonment, breach of contract, and TILA (periodic statements). Pleadings prepared by David Lavery of Connecticut Fair Housing Center. 

This is a federal court complaint and various attachments filed by David Philipps or Palos Hills, Illinois, and Bradform Botes of Birmingham, Alabama on September 22, 2023,  in the Eastern District of Missouri alleging FDCPA violations involving failure to report that a debt is disputed (1692e(8)), and unfair or unconscionable collection actions (1692f).  The complaint also addresses federal court standing.

This is a federal court complaint and various attachments filed by David Philipps and other attorneys of Philipps and Philipps of Palos Hills on August 31, 2023,  in the Eastern District of Missouri alleging FDCPA violations involving failure to cease communications and collections (1692c(c)), and communicating with a consumer represented by counsel (1692c(a)(2)). The complaint also addresses federal court standing.

This is a federal court complaint and various attachments filed by David Philipps and other attorneys of Philipps and Philipps of Palos Hills and John Steinkamp of Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 13, 2023,  in the Southern District of Indiana alleging FDCPA violations involving demanding a debt not owed (1692e), failure to cease communications and collections (1692c(c)), communicating with a consumer represented by counsel (1692c(a)(2)), and harassment or abuse (692d(2). The complaint also addresses federal court standing.

This is a federal court complaint  filed by David Philipps and other attorneys of Philipps and Philipps of Palos Hills on August 9, 2023,  in the Northern  District of Illinois alleging FDCPA violations involving  failure to cease collections of a dispute debt without providing validation (1692g(b)), failure to cease communications and collections (1692c(c)), false, misleading and deceptive statements (1692e),, and harassing or abusive practices (1692d). The complaint also addresses federal court standing.

This is an FDCPA second amended complaint filed by M. Stan Herring of Watts and Herring in Birmingham, Alabama, alleging FDCPA violations under 15 USC ss. 1692c(a)(1), 1692e, 1692e(2), 1692e(4), 1692e(5), 1692e(10), 1692e(11), 1692f , 1692f(1), based on abusive phone calls and threats made before 8:00 AM, false threats of garnishment without a court judgment, and engaging in numerous other misrepresentations. The complaint alleges the defendant's liability under respondeat superior and alter ego.

This is an FDCPA case filed by M. Stan Herring of Watts and Herring in Birmingham, Alabama, alleging FDCPA violations under 15 USC 1692c(a)(1), 1692e, 1692e(2), 1692e(4), 1692e(5), 1692e(10), 1692e(11), 1692f , 1692f(1), based on abusive phone calls and threats made before 8:00 AM, false threats of garnishment without a court judgment, and engaging in numerous other misrepresentations. The complaint alleges the defendant's liability under respondeat superior and alter ego.  The verdict is for $1000 statutory damages and $210,000 compensatory damages.

This 2024 federal court brief filed in the Southern District of West Virginia on behalf of a class of consumers successfully argued that clicking a website to set up a free Experian account is not sufficient to bind the consumers to an arbitration clause found in the terms of use. See Cox v. ConsumerInfo.com, Inc., 2024 WL 3625859 (S.D. W. Va. Aug.

Mishandling of loan modification implementation: RESPA NOE, pattern and practice, breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Javier Merino.  

Complaint.  Loss mitigation, trial plan and modification implementation. RESPA (NOE & RFI), UDAP, breach of contract, covenant of good faith and fair dealing, specific allegations of harm.  Javier Merino

Mishandling of modification, escrow disputes, deferral transition.  RESPA NOE.  Javier Merino.

First Amended Complaint for Wrongful Foreclosure,  E.D. Cal. filed Jan. 25, 2021, by Evan Livingstone, Calif. Rural Legal Assistance. Home already foreclosed and sold to bona fide purchaser, action for damages only. Franklin is servicer for Wilmington. Notice of default and notice of sale did not list correct amount due on second mortgage. Six claims: (1) breach of contract against Wilmington.

Homeowner’s discovery requests (combined interrogatories and document requests) to defendant servicer. Loss mitigation, fees, property inspections. Jeff Gentes.  

Breen v. Midfirst Bank, D. Conn., Complaint May 2024  application of payments, escrow, UDAP, related Reg. X, and breach of contract. Lorraine Martinez Conn. Fair Housing

Tremalgio v. PHH Corp., D. Conn. April 2023.  Complaint.  Loss mitigation-related UDAP, RESPA, harm related to implementation of loan modification  Jeff Gentes

Declaration of Richard Dubois, Proposed Cy Pres Recipient

Class action complaint against Navy Federal Credit Union, the country’s largest credit union, following a CNN report demonstrating a sharp disparity between approval rates for White mortgage applicants as compared to Hispanic and Black applicants.  While the complaint does not directly allege redlining practices, it does claim that the credit union violated the ECOA, the FHA, and section 1981 of the federal Civil Rights Act by engaging in “systematic discrimination in housing, in violation of federal law.”

This 2024 brief reviews the requirements of the federal E-Sign Act, and argues that it precludes oral consent from meeting the requirement of prior express written consent.  It also rebuts the caller's claim that the consumer's alleged oral consent to receive calls met the requirement of the FCC's regulations that an agreement to receive calls be signed by the consumer. 

This is a 2023 class complaint filed in the Western District of Washington that the mobile phone carrier failed to protect customers personal and financial information and that this resulted in a SIM card swapping scam, so that the scammer gained control of the customers’ phone number and phone account without gaining possession of the customer’s phone.  Claims against T-Mobile included negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, UDAP, violations of the Federal Communications Act, and other federal claims.

This is a 2020 individual complaint filed in the Central District of California that the mobile phone carrier failed to protect customers personal and financial information and that this resulted in a SIM card swapping scam, so that the scammer gained control of the customers’ phone number and phone account without gaining possession of the customer’s phone.  Claims against ATT included that the agreement and disclaimers were unconscionable and against public policy, deceit by concealment, misrepresentation, negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, breach of contract, and vi

This is a 2019 individual complaint filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina that the mobile phone carrier failed to protect customers personal and financial information and that this resulted in a SIM card swapping scam, so that the scammer gained control of the customers’ phone number and phone account without gaining possession of the customer’s phone.  Claims against ATT included negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, the North Carolina Anti-Hacking statute, UDAP, and violations of the Federal Communications Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

This letter is a formal demand for damages due to violations of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1693, et seq., and various North Carolina laws, including, but not limited to, common law negligence and violations of the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices statute (“UDAP”), N.C.G.S. § 75-1.1, et seq.

Complaint and Demand for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief

Second Amended Class Action complaint involving HAMP TPP claims, breach of contract, promissory estoppel, UDAP, fraudulent misrepresentation Wigod v Wells Fargo Bank, July 2012  (N.D. Ill.), later favorable Seventh Circuit decision  WIGOD, Finlinson and Finlinson, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

Complaint RESPA loss mitigation, inadequate response to RFI and NOE, negligence, UDAP. TANASI and Tanasi, Plaintiffs, v. CITIMORTGAGE, INC. and M&T Bank, as Successor by Merger to Hudson City Savings Bank, N.A., Defendant., 2016 WL 11048311 (D.Conn.) RESPA, UDAP, negligence (RESPA servicing dismissed) Case brought by Connecticut Fair Housing Center, attorney Jeff Gentes.

Motion to compel answers to interrogatories, investor guidelines Wigod v. Wells Fargo Bank N.D. Ill. Sept. 28, 2012 and motion to compel further answers to interrogatories Nov 12, 2012  WIGOD, Finlinson and Finlinson, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

Motion to compel answers to interrogatories, investor guidelines Wigod v. Wells Fargo Bank N.D. Ill. Sept. 28, 2012 and motion to compel further answers to interrogatories Nov 12, 2012  WIGOD, Dan Finlinson and  Finlinson, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.