Garcia v. Wachovia Mortgage Corp.

676 F. Supp. 2d 895, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99308, 2009 WL 3837621
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedOctober 14, 2009
DocketCase 2:09-cv-03925-FMC-FMOx
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 676 F. Supp. 2d 895 (Garcia v. Wachovia Mortgage Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Garcia v. Wachovia Mortgage Corp., 676 F. Supp. 2d 895, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99308, 2009 WL 3837621 (C.D. Cal. 2009).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING WACHOVIA MORTGAGE, FSB’S MOTION TO DISMISS FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT, AND DENYING AS MOOT WACHOVIA MORTGAGE, FSB’S MOTION TO DISMISS COMPLAINT

FLORENCE-MARIE COOPER, District Judge.

The matter is before the Court on Wachovia Mortgage, FSB’s (“Wachovia” or “Defendant”) Motion to Dismiss (docket no. 12), filed on July 21, 2009, and on Wachovia’s Motion to Dismiss (docket no. 24), filed on September 14, 2009. The Court has read and considered the moving and opposing documents (there has to date been no reply) submitted in connection with this motion. The Court deems the matter appropriate for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. Crv. P. 78; Central District of California, Local Rule 7-15. The hearing scheduled for October 26, 2009 is removed from the Court’s calendar. For the reasons and in the manner set forth below Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (docket no. 24) is GRANTED and Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (docket no. 12) is DENIED AS MOOT.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff is the owner of a principal dwelling known as 533 Redfield Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90042 (the “Property”), has resided therein at all relevant times, and still does reside therein. (See FAC, ¶ 5.) At some point prior to February 21, 2008, Plaintiff was contacted by “Defendants regarding the refinancing of h[er] mortgage loan.” (See FAC, ¶ 14-15.)

On or about February 21, 2008 Plaintiff entered into the relevant mortgage transaction, (See FAC, ¶ 14.) and executed a Deed of Trust, and an Adjustable Rate *899 Note (see FAC, ¶ 18, Exs. 2-3.) The Adjustable Rate Note is in the amount of $440,000.00 with an initial interest rate of 7.740%, and a maximum of 11.950%, and the amount “secured by the Deed of Trust is $550,000.00.” (See FAC, ¶ 19, Exs. 2-3.) “Defendant Wachovia was the originating Lender.” (See FAC, ¶ 6.)

A demand letter was sent on March 12, 2009 requesting rescission and offering to tender. (See FAC, ¶37, Exs. 7-8.) A letter titled “RESPA Qualified Written Request; TILA Request; Notice of Rescission” was sent to Wachovia on March 9, 2009. (See FAC, ¶, Exs. 9.)

On June 2, 2009 Plaintiff filed suit against Defendants, alleging claims for relief for: (1) rescission under the Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq. (“TILA”) and 12 CFR part 226 et seq. (“Regulation Z”); (2) damages and other apparent forms of relief under TILA and Regulation Z; (3) violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq. (“FDCPA”); (4) violation of California’s so-called “Unfair Competition Law,” California Business and Professions Code § 17200 et seq.; and (5) quiet title. Plaintiff demanded a jury trial.

On July 21, 2009, Defendant Wachovia filed a Motion to Dismiss this Complaint (docket no. 12), noticed for hearing on September 14, 2009. On August 25, 2009 the Court continued the hearing date to October 5, 2009, after Plaintiff failed to file timely opposition. On August 31, 2009, Plaintiff filed an Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss (docket no. 19), yet also filed a “First Verified Amended Complaint for Damages and Declaratory Relief,” (the “FAC”) with multiple exhibits attached (docket no. 23). The FAC purported to be verified, but contained no verification. The FAC asserted the same five claims as the Complaint did, and added a new claim under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, 12 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq. (“RESPA”). On September 1, 2009 the Court allowed the First Amended Complaint to be filed.

On September 14, 2009 Wachovia filed a Motion to Dismiss the First Amended Complaint (docket no. 24), 1 which Plaintiff opposed on October 5, 2009 (docket nos. 27-28), including at that time a verification as an exhibit to the opposition.

II. LEGAL STANDARD

Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure permits a defendant to seek dismissal of a complaint that “fail[s] to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). Dismissal is proper where a complaint lacks a cognizable legal theory. Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep’t. 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir.1988). All material factual allegations in the complaint are assumed to be true and construed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. Nursing Home Pension Fund, Local 144 v. Oracle Corp., 380 F.3d 1226, 1229 (9th Cir.2004) (“The general rule for 12(b)(6) motions is that allegations of material fact made in the complaint should be taken as true and construed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.”) (citing Burgert v. Lokelani Bernice Pauahi Bishop Trust, 200 F.3d 661, 663 (9th Cir.2000)). However, the Court “is not required to accept legal conclusions cast in the form of factual allegations if those *900 conclusions cannot be reasonably drawn from the facts alleged.” Clegg v. Cult Awareness Network, 18 F.3d 752, 754-55 (9th Cir.1994) (citations omitted); see also Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 1964-65, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (“While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiffs obligation to provide the ‘grounds’ of his ‘entitle[ment] to relief requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.”).

In ruling on a 12(b)(6) motion, a court generally cannot consider material outside of the complaint (e.g., facts presented in briefs, affidavits, or discovery materials). See, e.g., Knievel v. ESPN, 393 F.3d 1068, 1076 (9th Cir.2005). A court may, however, consider exhibits submitted with the complaint. Knievel, 393 F.3d at 1076; see also Van Winkle v. Allstate Ins. Co., 290 F.Supp.2d 1158, 1162 n. 2 (C.D.Cal.2003). A “court may [also] consider evidence on which the complaint ‘necessarily relies’ if: (1) the complaint refers to the document; (2) the document is central to the plaintiffs claim; and (3) no party questions the authenticity of the copy attached to the 12(b)(6) motion.” Marder v. Lopez, 450 F.3d 445, 448 (9th Cir.2006) (citations omitted).

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Bluebook (online)
676 F. Supp. 2d 895, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99308, 2009 WL 3837621, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garcia-v-wachovia-mortgage-corp-cacd-2009.