Blackburn v. BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP

914 F. Supp. 2d 1316, 2012 WL 6726588, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 182303
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Georgia
DecidedDecember 27, 2012
DocketCase No. 4:11-CV-39 (CDL)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 914 F. Supp. 2d 1316 (Blackburn v. BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Blackburn v. BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP, 914 F. Supp. 2d 1316, 2012 WL 6726588, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 182303 (M.D. Ga. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

CLAY D. LAND, District Judge.

Defendant BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP (“BAC”) admits that it made a mistake which it eventually corrected. For its confession and atonement, it seeks absolution. Plaintiffs Todd and Samantha Blackburn (“Blackburns”), having allegedly “gone through hell” for what they argue was more than just a simple mistake, are in no mood for mercy. They seek compensation and retribution.

BAC failed to recognize that the Black-burns paid their mortgage through automatic deduction and allotment from Todd Blackburn’s military paycheck, and consequently, did not give the Blackburns credit for their August and September 2009 mortgage payments. Eventually acknowledging its mistake, BAC credited the payments by April 2011 before the Blackburns filed this action. By May 2012, the Black-burns’ account was completely corrected with all unauthorized fees and charges having been credited to the account. Nevertheless, the Blackburns assert claims for violations of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”), 12 U.S.C. § 2605(e), trespass, conversion, and breach of contract. BAC seeks summary judgment as to these claims. For the following reasons, the Court denies BAC’s Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 61) as to the Blackburns’ RESPA claim, trespass claim, and conversion claim. Because emotional distress and punitive damages are not recoverable for a breach of contract, the Court grants BAC’s Motion for Summary Judgment as to those claims.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Summary judgment may be granted only “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). In determining whether a genuine dispute of material fact exists to defeat a motion for summary judgment, the evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to the party opposing summary judgment, drawing all justifiable inferences in the opposing party’s favor. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A fact is material if it is relevant or necessary to the outcome of the suit. Id. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505. A factual dispute is genuine if the evidence would allow a reasonable jury to return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Id.

[1319]*1319FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Viewed in the light most favorable to the Blackburns, the evidence is as follows. Unless otherwise noted, the facts are undisputed for purposes of summary judgment.

I. The Blackburns’ Mortgage

In March 2006, the Blackburns obtained a loan to purchase a home by executing a promissory note in the amount of $162,418.00 in favor of Taylor, Bean and Whitaker Mortgage Corporation (“TB & W”) and conveying a security interest in their home to TB & W.T. Blackburn Dep. Ex. A-l, Mortgage, ECF No. 58-2; T. Blackburn Dep. Ex. A-2, Note, ECF No. 58-3. Mr. Blackburn, an active duty member of the United States Army, paid the mortgage to TB & W through military allotment payments. T. Blackburn Dep. 21:5-6, ECF No. 58. The Blackburns had no payment issues while TB & W held the mortgage.

II. Loan Assigned to BAC

In August 2009, because of TB & W’s default and bankruptcy, BAC was ultimately assigned the Blackburns’ loan as part of a servicing contract covering approximately 180,000 loans. Wagner Aff. ¶¶ 6-7, ECF No. 61-2.1 The Blackburns were informed by a letter dated August 23, 2009 that effective September 1, 2009 their loan was assigned to BAC. T. Blackburn Dep. Ex. A-5, Letter from BAC to T. Blackburn (Aug. 23, 2009), ECF No. 58-6. By the time they received this transfer letter, the Blackburns’ August 2009 military allotment had previously been sent to TB & W.S. Blackburn Dep. 23:24-24:2, ECF No. 59. Although they tried to change their September 2009 allotment, the Blackburns did not have sufficient time to redirect that allotment from TB & W to BAC. As a result, it was erroneously sent to TB & W instead of BAC. Id. at 23:4-24:7; see also T. Blackburn Dep. 51:20-53:2 (explaining that the 21st of each month is the cut-off for changing an allotment and that the letter was received after that cut-off). The allotment was finally changed so that it was paid to BAC effective October 2009. S. Blackburn Dep. 24:8-24.

Because of actions taken by TB & W before BAC assumed its loans, certain customer payments were frozen by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Wagner Aff. ¶ 9. Therefore, the Blackburns’ payments for August and September 2009, which had been sent to TB & W before the change in the allotment was made to BAC, were not credited to their loan account. As a result, “when [BAC] began servicing [the Blackburns’] loan, its records indicated that [the Blackburns] were delinquent on their payments.” Id. ¶ 10. Operating under the belief that the Blackburns were delinquent on their August and September 2009 payments, BAC engaged in the following actions. Id. ¶¶ 8,10.

On September 9, 2009, BAC began sending notices to Mr. Blackburn that he was delinquent on his loan. Pis.’ Resp. in Opp’ n to Def.’s Mot. for Summ. J. Ex. A, S. Blackburn Aff. ¶ 3, ECF No. 64-1; Pis.’ Resp. in Opp’ n to Def.’s Mot. for Summ. J. Ex. B, T. Blackburn Aff. ¶4, ECF No. 64-2; see, e.g., T. Blackburn Dep. Ex. A-6, Letter from BAC to T. Blackburn (Sept. 9, 2009) 1, ECF No. 58-7 (stating total [1320]*1320amount due to bring the loan current is $2,057.80, the amount of the August and September 2009 payments). A few days later on September 16, 2009, BAC began sending “Notice[s] of Intent to Accelerate” and threatening foreclosure. T. Blackburn Dep. Ex. A-7, Notices from BAC to T. Blackburn, ECF No. 58-8. The Black-burns received multiple notices, often several in the same day. Id.; S. Blackburn Dep. 41:6-24. Starting in September 2009, each of the notices and the Blackburns’ monthly mortgage statements reflected BAC’s contention at the time that the Blackburns had not paid their August and September 2009 mortgage payments. T. Blackburn Dep. 47:9-48:17.

In addition to the typical stress associated with having a home loan erroneously declared delinquent, Mr. Blackburn contends that the stress was heightened for him because it could threaten his military career. As an Army Ranger, he was required to avoid any financial difficulties that could jeopardize his security clearance. S. Blackburn Dep. 51:3-11. The Blackburns therefore vigorously attempted to convince BAC that they were not delinquent on their loan and had in fact paid the August and September 2009 mortgage payments-albeit to Colonial Bank, the acting servicer when TB & W held the loan. The Blackburns repeatedly called BAC’s 1-800 numbers hoping for a resolution. Mrs. Blackburn obtained a statement from Army Finance showing the trace numbers for the August and September 2009 military allotments, the allotments, and the recipient of the allotments. S. Blackburn Dep. 34:1-25, 54:23-57:23. In September 2009, Mrs. Blackburn took the information to the local BAC branch office in Columbus, Georgia. S. Blackburn Dep. 29:24-30:10, 31:2-5.

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Bluebook (online)
914 F. Supp. 2d 1316, 2012 WL 6726588, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 182303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/blackburn-v-bac-home-loans-servicing-lp-gamd-2012.