First Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n v. Fink

238 A.2d 508, 99 N.J. Super. 76, 1968 N.J. Super. LEXIS 625
CourtNew Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division
DecidedJanuary 11, 1968
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 238 A.2d 508 (First Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n v. Fink) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n v. Fink, 238 A.2d 508, 99 N.J. Super. 76, 1968 N.J. Super. LEXIS 625 (N.J. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

Lane, J. S. C.

The amended complaint seeks to foreclose a mortgage on and for possession of premises at 87 Union Avenue, Belford, New Jersey. The matter is before the court-on cross-motions for summary judgment by the substituted plaintiff American Title Insurance Company (American) for foreclosure and possession, and by defendants Vito and Julia Capabianco (Capabianco), to dismiss the foreclosure action and to have their rights “as affect the subject premises” declared.

The mortgage in question was a purchase money mortgage dated June 14, 1961, in the amount of $10,600, from George W. Eink and Jeanette V. Eink, husband and wife, to J. I. [78]*78Kislak Mortgage Corporation (Kislak). That corporation assigned the mortgage to the First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Clearwater, Florida (First Federal) on July 24, 1961. On September 25, 1961 Vito Capahianco obtained a judgment against a George Fink for $1,100 and costs of $76.03 in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division.

By deed dated July 23, 1963 George W. Fink and Jeanette V. Fink conveyed the premises to The Whale Agency, subject to the mortgage. A search made in connection with that conveyance revealed four federal liens against a George E. Fink, Church Street, Bedford, New Jersey, and the judgment in the Superior Court of New Jersey in favor of Vito Gapabian(c)o against a George Fink. In connection with the conveyance from the Finks to The Whale Agency, an affidavit was obtained from George W. Fink dated July 23, 1963, in which he stated his attention had been drawn to the federal liens and the Superior Court judgment and that “the aforesaid judgments are not against me but against others of similar name.” The Whale Agency conveyed the premises to Vito Doria and Rose Doria, his wife, by deed dated August 13, 1963, subject to the mortgage.

John L. Bork and Josephine M. Bork entered into a contract to purchase the premises from the Dorias, which contract was dated November 18, 1965. The purchase price was $12,500.

The complaint in this action was filed January 14, 1966 by First Federal to foreclose its mortgage. It named as a defendant Vito Gapabian, setting up in paragraph 11 his judgment against George Fink referred to above. A notice of lis pendens was filed January 21, 1966, which did not name all of the defendants but listed the defendants as “George W. Fink, et al.” An answer was filed on February 4, 1966 by Vito Capahianco, admitting the allegations of the complaint and joining in the plaintiff’s demand for judgment, asking that the amount due to him on his judgment he fixed in the foreclosure judgment and that he he paid with interest and costs.

[79]*79By letter dated December 6, 1965 Kislak advised tbe closing attorney in the Bork transaction that an FHA mortgage loan of $12,500 had been approved to John Bork on the premises involved. Kislak requested American Title Insurance Company, Guaranteed Title Division, to make a full search of title to the premises. This search revealed, among other things, the Capabianco judgment and the notice of lis pendens. The title to the premises was closed March 2, 1966, the judgment in favor of Capabianco having been passed on the basis of the above affidavit of George W. Fink. Apparently no effort was made by anyone connected with the Boi^k transaction to determine who were the additional defendants in the foreclosure action that was revealed by the notice of Us pendens. At the closing on March 2, 1966 Kislak advanced $12,500, to be secured b}r a new mortgage which was to be a first lien on the premises. On March 7, 1966 Kislak received, as servicing agent for First Federal, $10,-473.45 to pay off the mortgage sought to be foreclosed in this action. On March 9, 1966 Kislak’s check in the amount of $10,031.07 was transmitted by it to First Federal in satisfaction of the mortgage. This check was deposited by First Federal and paid by the bank upon which it was drawn. First Federal then endorsed upon the original mortgage the following:

“THE WITHIN MORTGAGE HAYING BEEN FULLY PAID AND SATISFIED, THE MONMOUTH COUNTY CLERK IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO CANCEL SAME OF RECORD. FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS & LOAN ASSOCIATION OF CLEARWATER, FLORIDA ATTEST: s/ Mary E, Plumb_
MARY E. PLUMB, SECRETARY s/ G. Raymond Lee
C. RAYMOND LEE, PRESIDENT”

American issued a fee policy to John L. Bork and Josephine M. Bork, his wife, and a mortgagee title policy to “J. I. Kislak Mortgage Company and/or Federal Housing [80]*80Administration as interest may appear.” Both policies were dated March 2, 1966. The judgment was not set up as an exception.

When the closing attorney attempted to obtain a dismissal of this action, he learned that the judgment in favor of Yito Capabianco against George Eink had been set up in the foreclosure complaint as a junior lien on the mortgaged premises and that an answer had been filed on behalf of Capabianco. Capabianco would not consent to a dismissal of the action unless the amount of the judgment with interest was paid. It is admitted that the judgment was against George W. Eink, a prior owner of the premises as tenant by the entirety with his wife.

Under date of June 6, 1966 American obtained an assignment of the mortgage from Eirst Eederal for no consideration. It then struck out the endorsement on the mortgage and placed the following endorsement underneath the Eirst Eederal endorsement:

“THIS CANCELLATION AFFIXED INADVERTENTLY.
AMERICAN TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY
BY: s/ Reginald Dugdale
Reginald Dugdale—Vice President”

Yito Capabianco took steps to proceed to an execution sale under his judgment. On October 24, 1966 an order to show cause was signed restraining the sale. By order in this action, dated November 9, 1966, the restraint was dissolved. Thereafter the execution sale was held on January 16, 1967, at which the interest of George W. Eink in the premises was sold to Yito Capabianco. On or about February 3, 1967 the interest of George Eink in the premises was conveyed to Yito Capabianco by the sheriff.

At the closing on March 2, 1966 John L. Bork and Josephine M. Bork, his wife, executed a purchase money mortgage in the amount of $12,500 to Kislak. The mortgage was assigned on April 1, 1966 to Eederal National Mortgage Association.

[81]*81On December 21, 1966 there was filed in the office of the Clerk of the Superior Court a document entitled “Substitution of Parties and of Attorney.” This document recited that the interest of First Federal had been assigned to American Title Insurance Company and that First Federal, through its attorney, consented to the substitution of American as plaintiff in the action. By an order dated February 23, 1967, consented to by the attorney for Capabianco and advised by the standing master, American was permitted to file an amendment to the complaint and a supplemental complaint. The supplemental complaint was filed on February 24, 1967, joining as defendants Vito Capabianeo’s wife Julia, the present owners of the premises John L. Bork and his wife Josephine, and the United States of America, the holder of the §12,500 mortgage. On April 25, 1967 the complaint was voluntarily dismissed by American as to the United States of America. A general appearance was entered by John L. Bork and Josephine M.

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Bluebook (online)
238 A.2d 508, 99 N.J. Super. 76, 1968 N.J. Super. LEXIS 625, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-federal-savings-loan-assn-v-fink-njsuperctappdiv-1968.