In a recent case, Justice François Rivera sitting in the Supreme Court Foreclosure Part in Bronx County dismissed a foreclosure lawsuit brought by HSBC Bank as Trustee. In this case, HSBC claimed the homeowner had two mortgages on the property. Both mortgages were combined by a consolidation agreement. HSBC claimed the homeowner’s defaulted by not paying the mortgages. HSBC stated the mortgages were assigned by an Affidavit of Lost Assignment.
HSBC Seeks The Appointment Of A Referee To Sell The Property
HSBC brought an application to the Court. They sought to change the caption of the proceeding from the then current defendant, Brunson, and replacing her name with the co-administrators of her estate. It turns out that Brunson died two years before the action was commenced by HSBC. Simply speaking, HSBC sued the homeowner two years after the homeowner died. Judge Rivera took the position the entire lawsuit was a nullity from its very start. The application by HSBC to modify the caption could not be granted. The court’s decision was that the court didn’t have jurisdiction to even entertain the motion made by HSBC.
Conclusion
Banks shouldn’t sue dead people. Banks can only sue the Estate or the Administrators or Executors of an estate after someone dies.
About The Author
Elliot S. Schlissel, Esq. and his associates diligently and aggressively represent homeowners in mortgage foreclosure lawsuits. Elliot and his associates provide foreclosure legal defense in the courts throughout the metropolitan New York area.
