November 30, 2011

Saved by Sloppy Filing: Fourth DCA Reverses Summary Judgment of Foreclosure Where Bank Failed to Attach Assignment

Duke v. HSBC Mortgage Services, LLC,
Case No. 4D09-5183

The Fourth District Court of Appeal (“DCA”) reviewed a trial court order granting summary judgment of foreclosure against the homeowners, who were husband and wife. At the time HSBC filed its complaint in the trial court, it attached a mortgage showing the Dukes as the borrowers and a company called First NLC Financial as the lender. HSBC alleged in the complaint that it owned the Dukes’ note and mortgage pursuant to an assignment. However, HSBC failed to attach the assignment to its complaint. HSBC later filed a notice of assignment and attached a copy of the assignment that was executed after HSBC filed the complaint. The trial court granted summary judgment for HSBC.

On appeal, the Fourth DCA held that the discrepancy between the attached mortgage showing First NLC Financial as the lender and HSBC’s allegation in the complaint that it owned the note and mortgage created a genuine issue of material fact regarding ownership of the note and mortgage that precluded summary judgment. Citing BAC Funding Consortium, Inc. v. Jean-Jacques, 28 So. 3d 936, 938 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010), the Fourth DCA noted that exhibits control over allegations in a complaint, and therefore the at the time of filing the complaint, the attached mortgage listing First NLC Financial as the lender controlled over HSBC’s allegation in the complaint that it owned the note and mortgage pursuant to an assignment. The court reversed the order granting summary judgment.