Barrionuevo v. Chase Bank, N.A.

885 F. Supp. 2d 964, 2012 WL 3235953, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109935
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedAugust 6, 2012
DocketNo. C-12-0572 EMC
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 885 F. Supp. 2d 964 (Barrionuevo v. Chase Bank, N.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barrionuevo v. Chase Bank, N.A., 885 F. Supp. 2d 964, 2012 WL 3235953, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109935 (N.D. Cal. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING DEFENDANTS JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. AND CALIFORNIA RECONVEYANCE CO.’S MOTION TO DISMISS (Docket No. 23)

EDWARD M. CHEN, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs Jose and Flor Barrionuevo (collectively “the Barrionuevos”) sued Defendants JP Morgan Chase Bank (“Chase”) and California Reconveyance Corporation (“California Reconveyance”) on February 3, 2012, after California Re-conveyance attempted to foreclose on a Deed of Trust (“DOT”) that the Barrionuevos executed for the purchase of a home in California. Pis.’ Opp. to Mot. to Dismiss (Docket No. 25) at 1. Chase is the successor in interest to Washington Mutual Bank (“Washington Mutual”), who executed the DOT with the Barrionuevos and funded the loan for the purchase of the subject property. In their amended complaint, the Barrionuevos assert claims against Defendants for wrongful foreclosure, slander of title, violating California Civil Code § 2923.5, and violating California’s Unfair Business Practices Act (Cal. Bus. Prof. Code § 17200). See Pis.’ Am. Compl. (Docket No. 20). On February 23, 2012, the Barrionuevos moved ex parte for a temporary restraining order barring Defendants from completing California’s nonjudicial foreclosure process, which this Court denied on February 29, 2012, after a hearing on the merits. See Pis.’ Mot. for TRO (Docket No. 5); Min. Entry Den. TRO (Docket No. 13). California Reconveyance and Chase thereafter filed a motion to dismiss pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). See Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss (Docket No. 23). Having considered the papers filed in support of and in opposition to the instant Motion, the Court deems the matter appropriate for decision without oral argument. Fed.R.Civ.P. 78; Local Rule. 7-6. For the following reasons, Defendants’ motion is DENIED.

II. FACTUAL & PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On February 28, 2006, the Barrionuevos entered into a DOT with Washington Mutual and California Reconveyance for the purchase of a single family home in Dublin, California. Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss, Ex. A. The DOT was recorded in Alameda County on March 3, 2006, against the subject property (known as 5931 Annadele Way) to secure a promissory note in favor of Washington Mutual for a loan of $1,720,000. Pis.’ Am. Compl. ¶9. The DOT conveys title and power of sale to California Reconveyance, and names Washington Mutual as both “Lender” and “Beneficiary.” Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss, Ex. A at 1-3. In the event of default or breach by the borrower, and after first having been given an opportunity to cure, the DOT grants to the Lender the power [967]*967“to require immediate payment in full of all sums secured by this security instrument without further demand,” and “the power of sale and any other remedies permitted by Applicable law.” Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss, Ex. A at 15.

In May of 2006, the Barrionuevos allege that Washington Mutual “securitized and sold Plaintiffs’ Deed of Trust to the WMALT Series 2006-AR4 Trust,” naming La Salle Bank as Trustee. Pis.’ Am. Compl. ¶ 10. In support of this allegation they point to a report prepared by Certified Forensic Loan Auditors, which apparently reaches the same conclusion. See Pis.’ Am. Compl., Ex. A — Property Securitization Analysis Report. In September of 2008, after the purported sale of the Barrionuevos’ DOT, the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision closed Washington Mutual and appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) as receiver. See Pis.’ Am. Compl. ¶ 11; Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss at 2. Shortly thereafter, Chase acquired certain assets of Washington Mutual from the FDIC. Id. Having been sold at an earlier point to the WMALT Series 2006-AR4 Trust, the Barrionuevos allege that any beneficial interest under their DOT could not have been purchased or obtained by Chase during this acquisition. See Pis.’ Opp. to Mot. to Dismiss at 3.

About a year later, California Reconveyance initiated nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings against the Barrionuevos regarding the subject property by recording a “Notice of Default and Election to Sell Under Deed of Trust” with the County of Alameda on April 7, 2009. Pis.’ Am. Compl., Ex. B — Notice of Default. The Notice of Default identified Washington Mutual as the beneficiary of record, and included a statement that “the beneficiary or its designated agent declares that it has contacted the borrower” or has “tried with due diligence to contact the borrower as required by California Civil Code 2923.5.” Id. at 2. The Barrionuevos allege, contrary to this statement, that neither of the Defendants contacted Plaintiffs “at least 30 days prior to recording the Notice of Default” in violation of § 2923.5.1 See Pis.’ Am. Compl. ¶¶ 28, 32. Thereafter, California Reconveyance recorded three separate Notices of Trustee’s Sales regarding the subject property with the County of Alameda, the most recent having been filed with the County on February 2, 2012. Pis.’ Am. Compl. ¶¶ 13-14; see also Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss, Ex. C, D, and E.2

The Barrionuevos initiated suit against Chase and California Reconveyance on February 3, 2012, with a complaint listing nine causes of action. Compl. (Docket No. 1). They have since filed an amended complaint listing only four causes of action, namely (1) Wrongful Foreclosure, (2) Slander of Title, (3) Violation of Cal. Civ.Code [968]*968§ 2923.5, and (4) Violation of the California Unfair Business Practices Act (Cal. Bus. Prof. Code § 17200). See Pis.’ Am. Compl. Soon after Plaintiffs’ amended their complaint, Defendants jointly moved to dismiss the amended complaint “pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, in its entirety, for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss at 1.

III. DISCUSSION

A. Legal Standard

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), a party may move to dismiss based on the failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. See Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). A motion to dismiss based on Rule 12(b)(6) challenges the legal sufficiency of the claims alleged. See Parks Sch. of Bus. v. Symington, 51 F.3d 1480, 1484 (9th Cir.1995). In considering such a motion, the Court may consider facts alleged in the complaint, materials incorporated into the complaint by reference, and matters of which the Court may take judicial notice.3 Zucco Partners LLC v. Digimarc Corp., 552 F.3d 981, 989 (9th Cir.2009).

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Bluebook (online)
885 F. Supp. 2d 964, 2012 WL 3235953, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109935, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barrionuevo-v-chase-bank-na-cand-2012.