Hofman v. HSBC Bank USA, NA ex rel. Nomura Home Equity Loan Inc Asset-backed Certificates (In re Hofman)

488 B.R. 157, 2013 WL 681370, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 702
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Montana
DecidedFebruary 25, 2013
DocketBankruptcy No. 12-60619-13; Adversary No. 12-00039
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 488 B.R. 157 (Hofman v. HSBC Bank USA, NA ex rel. Nomura Home Equity Loan Inc Asset-backed Certificates (In re Hofman)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hofman v. HSBC Bank USA, NA ex rel. Nomura Home Equity Loan Inc Asset-backed Certificates (In re Hofman), 488 B.R. 157, 2013 WL 681370, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 702 (Mont. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

RALPH B. KIRSCHER, United States Bankruptcy Judge.

Pending in this adversary proceeding is the Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 9) filed by Defendant HSBC Bank USA, NA (“HSBC”), as Trustee for the registered holder of Nomura Home Equity Loan Inc (“Nomura”) Asset-backed Certificates, Series 2007-3, in which HSBC seeks dismissal with prejudice of the Plaintiffs/Debtors’ complaint objecting to HSBC’s Proof of Claim. HSBC filed with its Motion a Statement of Uncontroverted Facts, memorandum in support, and affidavits with supporting exhibits. Plaintiffs/Debtors Jurian W. Hofman (“Jurian”) and Dawn L. Hofman (“Dawn”), pro se, who filed their objection to HSBC’s Proof of Claim seeking to disallow HSBC’s secured claim in its entirety, filed their response (Dkt. 18) in opposition to HSBC’s Motion, accompanied by 26 exhibits. The Court has reviewed HSBC’s Motion and Debtors’ response, together with the accompanying exhibits, record and applicable law. This matter is ready for decision. For the reasons set forth below, and in particular the holding by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as explained in Veal v. Am. Home Mortg. Servicing, Inc. (In re Veal), 450 B.R. 897, 9121 (9th Cir. BAP 2011), this Court concludes that HSBC has satisfied its burden to show there is no genuine issue of fact, and that HSBC is entitled to judgment as a matter of law that it has standing to file its proof of claim as the party entitled to enforce the Deed of Trust signed by the Plaintiffs under Montana law.

This Court has jurisdiction of the above-captioned adversary proceeding and Chapter 13 case under 28 U.S.C. § 1334(a) & (b). This adversary proceeding is a core proceeding to determine the validity of HSBC’s lien and allowance/disallowance of claims under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(B) and (K). Plaintiffs’ complaint objects to HSBC’s secured claim asserting two claims for relief: (1) Wrongful and Erroneous Foreclosure Representation as to Standing to Make Claim because Nomura is dormant or dissolved, because HSBC is overseeing the sale or trading of unregistered securities in violation of federal law, and HSBC is not the owner of the promissory note and therefore lacks standing; and, as a result, (2) Debtors seek expungement of HSBC’s Proof of Claim which purports that it is secured by Debtors’ residence at 2175 Oriole Drive, Missoula, Montana. This Memorandum of Decision includes the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law under F.R.B.P. Rule 7052.

[160]*160FACTS & PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The Court may give evidentiary weight to sworn statements in the debtor’s schedules, though the schedules aré not necessarily and finally determinative of all facts contained therein. Veal, 450 B.R. at 921, citing Campbell v. Verizon Wireless (In re Campbell), 336 B.R. 430, 436 (9th Cir. BAP 2005). The Debtors, pro se, filed a voluntary Chapter 13 petition on April 23, 2012, and filed their Schedules, and Statement of Financial Affairs on May 7, 2012. On Schedule A Debtors list their joint interests in their residence at Lot 3, Block 3 of El Mar Estates, Phase II, a/k/a 2175 Oriole Dr. in Missoula, Montana, which they value at $175,384.14, and listed claims secured by the residence in the amounts stated of $162,521.09 and $14,452.00, respectively. Schedule C claims an exemption in the residence under Montana’s homestead statutes in the amount of $162,521.09.

Schedule D lists HSBC as having a contingent, disputed claim incurred on 11/20/2006, in an amount stated of $175,384.14. The SOFA at item 6 (“Assignments and receiverships”) lists “HSBC-Nomura” as assignee of property by assignment or settlement dated 1/26/2012.2

Debtors filed a Chapter 13 Plan and an amended Plan. HSBC and the Trustee filed objections, and confirmation was denied after hearing held on July 12, 2012. At that hearing the Court informed the Debtors that they must resolve the amount of HSBC’s arrearage and claim prior to confirmation.

On August 6, 2012, Debtors filed their Objection to HSBC’s Claim, even though HSBC had not filed a proof of claim as of that date. The Court entered an Order on August 7, 2012, in the Chapter 13 case treating Debtors’ Objection as a complaint which needed to be served on HSBC, which commenced this adversary proceeding to determine HSBC’s interest in property. HSBC filed its answer and affirmative defenses on August 22, 2012.

HSBC3 filed its Proof of Claim No. 14 on October 5, 2012. As amended, Claim 14 asserts a secured claim in the amount of $170,539.62, secured by property with a stated value of $172,000.00. Claim 14 has several attachments, including a Fixed/Adjustable Rate/Balloon Note, Loan Modification Agreement, Deed of Trust (“DOT”) covering Debtors’ residence which is signed by Debtors, an Assignment of DOT from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”) to HSBC, addenda, and an Allonge dated June 26, 2012, transferring the original note from Meri-tage Mortgage Corporation (“Meritage”) to HSBC4.

Debtors filed a further amended Plan to which objections again were filed by the Trustee and HSBC, and confirmation has been continued5 so that this adversary proceeding can be decided. On November 15, 2012, HSBC filed its Motion for Summary Judgment and supporting memorandum, requesting that the Court grant its [161]*161Motion and dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint with prejudice. Defendant also filed a Statement of Uncontroverted Facts, supporting affidavits of Samantha J. DeLage (“DeLage”) and HSBC’s attorney Joe Sol-seng (“Solseng”), and attached exhibits.

HSBC’s Statement of Uneontroverted Facts sets forth the following:

1. On or about November 20, 2006, Dawn Hofman and Jurian Hofman made and delivered a Promissory Note to the original lender, Meritage Mortgage Corporation, in the principal amount of $146,720.00 (the “Note”). See Note attached as Exhibit “A” to the Affidavit of Samantha J. DeLage.
2. The Note was secured by a Priority Deed of Trust on the Property commonly known as 2175 Oriole Drive, Missoula, MT 59808 (the “Property”), legally described as:
LOT 3 IN BLOCK 3 OF EL MAR ESTATES PHASE II, A PLATTED SUBDIVISION IN MISSOULA COUNTY, MONTANA, ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL RECORDED PLAT THEREOF.
(hereinafter the “Subject Property”). See Deed of Trust attached as Exhibit “B” to the Affidavit of Samantha J. De-Lage.
3. Attached to the original Note are both an endorsement in Blank from the original lender, Meritage Mortgage Corporation, and an Allonge from Meritage Mortgage Corporation to HSBC. See Note attached as Exhibit “A” to the Affidavit of Samantha J. DeLage.
4. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (hereinafter “MERS”), solely as nominee for Meritage Mortgage Corporation, was the original beneficiary under the Deed of Trust. The Deed of Trust was recorded on November 21, 2006, under Recorder’s No. 200630237, records of Missoula County, Montana. See Deed of Trust attached as Exhibit “B” to the Affidavit of Samantha J. DeLage.
5.

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Bluebook (online)
488 B.R. 157, 2013 WL 681370, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 702, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hofman-v-hsbc-bank-usa-na-ex-rel-nomura-home-equity-loan-inc-mtb-2013.