Brickert v. Deutsche Bank Nat'l Trust Co.

380 F. Supp. 3d 1127
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedMay 9, 2019
DocketCivil Action No. 17-cv-03106-MEH
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 380 F. Supp. 3d 1127 (Brickert v. Deutsche Bank Nat'l Trust Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brickert v. Deutsche Bank Nat'l Trust Co., 380 F. Supp. 3d 1127 (D. Colo. 2019).

Opinion

Michael E. Hegarty, United States Magistrate Judge.

Before the Court is Defendant Deutsche Bank National Trust Company's Motion to *1133Dismiss Second Amended Complaint ("SAC"). ECF No. 23. Defendant argues this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction under the Rooker-Feldman doctrine and Younger abstention doctrine. Defendant also argues that issue preclusion prevents Plaintiff from challenging the validity of the underlying foreclosure at issue in this case. Finally, Defendant argues that even if the Court were to reach the merits of Plaintiff's claims, each claim should be dismissed under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). For the reasons that follow, the Motion is granted in part and denied in part .

BACKGROUND

I. Statement of Facts

The following factual allegations from Plaintiff's SAC are taken as true pursuant to Ashcroft v. Iqbal , 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). Additionally, the Court will consider documents outside the pleading when appropriate under Tenth Circuit precedent.1

Plaintiff acquired the single-family residence on the real property commonly known as 3076 S. Holly Pl., Denver, CO 80222 (the "Property") by grant deed in 2004. ECF No. 12 ¶ 7. On October 23, 2006, Plaintiff executed an adjustable rate note (the "Note") in the amount of $ 286,000.00 in favor of Fremont Investment & Loan ("Fremont"). ECF No. 23-1. The Note was secured by a deed of trust (the "Deed of Trust") on the Property. ECF No. 23-2. Plaintiff claims that although Defendant "claims to be the [N]ote holder," ECF No. 12 ¶ 8, it is not the true holder or beneficiary of the instrument, id. ¶ 19. He further alleges Defendant "created a series of instruments to give the appearance that [Defendant] was in privity with Plaintiff's contract...." Id. ¶ 2. Plaintiff also appears to allege that he made monthly payments to Defendant under the terms of the Note even though Defendant was not the beneficiary.2 Id. ¶ 23.

On April 13, 2018, Defendant filed a Verified Motion for Order Authorizing a Foreclosure Sale Under Colo. R. Civ. P. 120 (" Rule 120") in the District Court, Arapahoe County, Colorado. ECF No. 23-4. On May 9, 2018, that court granted the motion. ECF No. 23-5. In doing so, the court held there was a "reasonable probability" that Plaintiff had defaulted, and Defendant was the real party in interest. See Rule 120(d)(1). On May 31, 2018, the Arapahoe County Public Trustee recorded a Confirmation Deed that granted ownership of the Property to DFW Group LLLP. ECF No. 23-8. The court then issued an Order Approving Sale on July 6, 2018. ECF No. 23-6.

II. Procedural History

Plaintiff initiated this action on December 22, 2017, ECF No. 1, and filed the *1134operative SAC on May 11, 2018. ECF No. 12. Plaintiff asserts claims for: (1) "wrongful foreclosure"; (2) "restitution"; (3) "no contract"; (4) fraud and deceit; (5) quiet title; and (6) "declaratory and injunctive relief." Id. ¶¶ 16-47. In response, Defendant filed the present Motion on October 5, 2018, ECF No. 23, which was fully briefed on December 13, 2018, ECF No. 50.

LEGAL STANDARDS

I. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1)

Rule 12(b)(1) empowers a court to dismiss a complaint for "lack of subject matter jurisdiction." Dismissal under Rule 12(b)(1) is not a judgment on the merits of a plaintiff's case, but only a determination that the court lacks authority to adjudicate the matter. See Castaneda v. INS , 23 F.3d 1576, 1580 (10th Cir. 1994) (recognizing federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and may only exercise jurisdiction when specifically authorized to do so). A court lacking jurisdiction "must dismiss the cause at any stage of the proceeding in which it becomes apparent that jurisdiction is lacking." Full Life Hospice, LLC v. Sebelius , 709 F.3d 1012, 1016 (10th Cir. 2013). A Rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss must be determined from the allegations of fact in the complaint, without regard to mere conclusory allegations of jurisdiction. Smith v. Plati , 258 F.3d 1167, 1174 (10th Cir. 2001). The burden of establishing subject matter jurisdiction is on the party asserting jurisdiction. Butler v. Kempthorne , 532 F.3d 1108, 1110 (10th Cir. 2008). Accordingly, Plaintiff in this case bears the burden of establishing that the Court has jurisdiction to hear his claims.

Generally, Rule 12(b)(1) motions to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction take two forms. Holt v. United States , 46 F.3d 1000, 1002 (10th Cir. 1995).

First, a facial attack on the complaint's allegations as to subject matter jurisdiction questions the sufficiency of the complaint. In reviewing a facial attack on the complaint, a district court must accept the allegations in the complaint as true.
Second, a party may go beyond allegations contained in the complaint and challenge the facts upon which subject matter jurisdiction depends. When reviewing a factual attack on subject matter jurisdiction, a district court may not presume the truthfulness of the complaint's factual allegations. A court has wide discretion to allow affidavits, other documents, and a limited evidentiary hearing to resolve disputed jurisdictional facts under Rule 12(b)(1). In such instances, a court's reference to evidence outside the pleadings does not convert the motion to a Rule 56 motion.

Id.

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Bluebook (online)
380 F. Supp. 3d 1127, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brickert-v-deutsche-bank-natl-trust-co-cod-2019.