Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v. Brooks

2024 Ohio 5054
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 21, 2024
Docket2024-G-0010
StatusPublished

This text of 2024 Ohio 5054 (Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v. Brooks) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v. Brooks, 2024 Ohio 5054 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).

Opinion

[Cite as Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v. Brooks, 2024-Ohio-5054.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO ELEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT GEAUGA COUNTY

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL CASE NO. 2024-G-0010 TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR RESIDENTIAL ASSET SECURITIZATION TRUST SERIES Civil Appeal from the 2006-A13 MORTGAGE PASS- Court of Common Pleas THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2006-M, Trial Court No. 2023 F 000129 Plaintiff-Appellee,

- vs -

THE UNKNOWN HEIRS AT LAW, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ADMINISTRATORS, AND EXECUTORS OF THE ESTATE OF BARRY H. BROOKS a.k.a. BARRY H. BROOKS, M.D., DECEASED, et al.,

Defendants,

MADISON BROOKS,

Defendant-Appellant.

OPINION

Decided: October 21, 2024 Judgment: Affirmed

Laura C. Infante, Robert R. Hoose, and Ashley E. Mueller, Clunk, Hoose Co., LPA, 495 Wolf Ledges Parkway, Akron, OH 44311 (For Plaintiff-Appellee).

Nicholas F. Stemmer and Andrew J. Gerling, Kohl & Cook Law Firm, LLC, 1900 Bethel Road, Columbus, OH 43220 (For Defendant-Appellant). JOHN J. EKLUND, J.

{¶1} Madison Brooks (“Appellant”) appeals the trial court’s denying his Civ.R.

60(B) motion for relief from judgment. For the following reasons, we affirm the lower

court’s judgment.

Summary of the Case

{¶2} This is a foreclosure action, commenced in rem on property held in a

decedent’s name, for failure to pay the mortgage. Appellee (“the Bank”) filed its Complaint

in March 2023; service was perfected on Appellant (one of the decedent’s heirs) by

certified mail. Appellant never pled, moved, or otherwise responded to the Complaint.

The Bank moved for default judgment (which Appellant did not oppose). The trial court

granted default judgment for the Bank and ordered foreclosure and a sheriff’s sale.

Almost four months later, and only three days before the sheriff’s sale, Appellant moved

for relief from the default judgment. The trial court denied the motion, from which

Appellant timely appeals. Essentially, Appellant asserts that he was in discussions with

the Bank about his assuming the mortgage on the property and bringing payments

current. He contends that the Bank “assured him” not to worry about foreclosure. He

believed those discussions would forestall a foreclosure and sale from proceeding. Under

the circumstances of this case, we find the appeal to be without merit.

Factual and Procedural Background

{¶3} On March 3, 2023, the Bank filed a Complaint in Foreclosure (in rem) for

property owned by Appellant’s deceased father, Barry Brooks. Barry Brooks’ heirs,

including Appellant, were named as defendants. The Complaint alleged that the

Case No. 2024-G-0010 mortgage on the property had not been paid since June 2022. The Bank perfected

service on Appellant on March 7, 2023, by certified mail.

{¶4} By July 18, 2023, the defendants had not pled, moved, or otherwise

responded to the Complaint. The court issued a “Notice to File Default Judgment.” The

notice advised the parties that a failure to move for default judgment would result in the

case being dismissed sua sponte for reasons otherwise than on the merits.

{¶5} Also on July 18, 2023, the Bank filed and served on “all parties” a “Notice

of Case Status.” The notice stated that the Bank was “actively working with the primary

defendants for an amicable agreement to resolve this foreclosure matter.” The notice

also stated that if the Bank’s efforts at resolution failed, then it would “immediately issue”

service by publication on Barry Brooks’ unknown heirs.

{¶6} The Bank did not further advise the court of its resolution efforts. But,

beginning on August 3, 2023, the Bank served Barry Brooks’ unknown heirs through

publication in the Geauga County Maple Leaf newspaper for a period of three weeks.

{¶7} On September 18, 2023, the Bank moved for default judgment. It stated

that the defendants had neither pled, moved, or otherwise responded to the Complaint.

The Bank did not serve Appellant or any other purported heirs with the motion, and no

defendant opposed it.

{¶8} On October 5, 2023, the court granted the Bank’s motion. It ordered that

the property be foreclosed upon and sold at a sheriff’s sale if the defendants failed to pay

the sum due within three days. The defendants did not pay the sum due. The court did

not serve Appellant with the judgment.

Case No. 2024-G-0010 {¶9} On January 16, 2024, the Bank filed and served a “notice of sheriff’s sale.”

The notice stated that a sheriff’s sale would be held on February 1, 2024.

{¶10} On January 29, 2024, almost four months after the court granted default

judgment, Appellant, through counsel, filed a notice of appearance in the matter. Also on

January 29, Appellant filed a Civ.R. 60(B)(1) motion for relief from the court’s October 5,

2023 judgment and to stay execution of the judgment.

{¶11} In the motion, Appellant asserted, through affidavit, that he had attempted

to pay the mortgage after his father died, but the Bank “refused to take mortgage

payments from him” because he was not a party to the mortgage.

{¶12} He also asserted in his affidavit that, despite having been served with the

Complaint, the Bank had “repeatedly assured” him “that there was no need to worry about

foreclosure.” Appellant did not attach any documents to support that assertion. The

thirteen documents Appellant attached were communications between himself and “PHH

Mortgage Services.” PHH Mortgage Services told Appellant that it had received his

requests for mortgage assistance, but that he was not qualified. In his motion, Appellant

cites the exhibits to assert that he was denied mortgage assistance by the Bank.

However, the exhibits only showed communications with PHH Mortgage Services.

{¶13} In support of his motion for relief from judgment, Appellant asserted

prevention of performance and unclean hands as meritorious defenses if relief were to be

granted. He next asserted that he was entitled to relief for mistake and excusable neglect.

Appellant also stated that his motion was made within a reasonable time. Specifically, he

asserted that he had “immediately retained counsel to respond upon knowledge of the

events.”

Case No. 2024-G-0010 {¶14} On January 31, 2024, the Bank filed a brief in opposition to Appellant’s

motion for relief from judgment.

{¶15} On February 1, 2024, the sheriff’s sale on the property commenced. A

sheriff’s return was filed, stating that the Bank had purchased the property at the sheriff’s

sale.

{¶16} On February 13, 2024, the court issued an order denying Appellant’s motion

to stay execution of judgment. The court explained that Appellant “failed to meet the

necessary standards under Civil Rule 60” and the “motion was filed too close to the

scheduled sale date . . ..” The court also noted that the “sale has already occurred by the

time of this order.”

{¶17} On February 21, 2024, Appellant appealed the trial court’s February 13

order. Also on February 21, Appellant moved the trial court to stay further execution of

the judgment (specifically to stay the confirmation of the sale) until the Court of Appeals

rendered its judgment. The court did not rule on the motion.

{¶18} On March 11, 2024, the Bank moved the court to confirm the sheriff’s sale.

On March 26, 2024, the court confirmed the sale.1

{¶19} On April 5, 2024, Appellant once again moved the trial court to stay further

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2024 Ohio 5054, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deutsche-bank-natl-trust-co-v-brooks-ohioctapp-2024.