In re Residential Capital, LLC

523 B.R. 24, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 5114, 2014 WL 7331059
United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York·Decided December 22, 2014·No. Case No. 12-12020 (MG)·Published·Cited by 7 cases

Opinion

Jointly Administered

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER SUSTAINING THE RESCAP BORROWER CLAIMS TRUST’S OBJECTION TO THE CLAIMS FILED BY KAREN MICHELE RO-ZIER

MARTIN GLENN, UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY JUDGE

In December 2005, Karen Michele Rozier (“Rozier”) took out a home mortgage loan with non-debtor WMC Mortgage Corporation (“WMC”). After WMC discovered- that it had not provided Rozier an accurate Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”) disclosure statement with respect to her [30]*30loan, it sent her a notice of right to cancel her loan. Rozier exercised her right to cancel; however, upon being provided with the option of tendering the amount due on her loan or modifying her loan, she entered into a loan modification and general release, affirming her intention not to rescind the loan.

More than four months after Rozier entered into the loan modification and general release, Debtor GMAC Mortgage, LLC (“GMACM”) acquired servicing rights to Rozier’s loan, and Debtor Executive Trustee Services, LLC (“ETS”) was made substitute trustee under the applicable deed of trust. Rozier defaulted on her loan in March 2008, and the Debtors initiated a foreclosure action. The foreclosure sale was cancelled after the Debtors attempted to work out repayment plans and a short sale with Rozier, which she ultimately can-celled.

In August 2011, Rozier filed a chapter 13 bankruptcy petition in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Rozier’s chapter 13 bankruptcy case was converted to a case under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on January 12, 2012.

In September 2012, the Debtors again initiated foreclosure and executed a deed upon sale that was rescinded after ETS discovered a defect in the applicable notice. The Debtors corrected the defect and issued another notice of sale in October 2012. In posting this notice of sale on Rozier’s home, the Debtors’ posting agent was accompanied by several local police officers due to alleged threats Rozier had made in the past. The Debtors subsequently transferred servicing rights of Ro-zier’s loan to Ocwen Loan Services, LLC (“Ocwen”) in February 2013, and transferred their interest in Rozier’s deed of trust to U.S. Bank National Association (“US Bank”). A foreclosure sale was not completed during the time the Debtors serviced the loan or held an interest in the deed of trust.

Rozier alleges a litany of claims against the Debtors, which she previously asserted in an action commenced in California state court on September 27, 2012, days after the' September 2012 deed upon sale was executed. Rozier’s claims generally arise from the Debtors’ allegedly wrongful efforts to foreclose on her home. Among other claims, Rozier asserts causes of action for wrongful foreclosure, negligence, violations of the California Civil Code, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation of character, and violations of the California Business and Professional Code section 17200, et seq. (the “UCL”). As set forth below, each of her claims fails to raise a plausible basis for the Debtors’ liability. The Court therefore SUSTAINS the Debtors’ objection to her claims in its entirety.

I. BACKGROUND

The ResCap Borrower Claims Trust (the “Trust”) objects to two claims filed by Karen Rozier (the “Objection,” ECF Doc. # 7474):(1) claim number 4738 against GMAC (the “GMACM Claim,” Obj. Ex. 1-A); and (2) claim number 5632 against ETS (the “ETS Claim,” Obj. Ex. 1-B) (together, the “Claims”). The Objection is supported by the declaration of Deanna Horst (the “Horst Declaration,” Obj. Ex. 3-A), Chief Claims Officer for the ResCap Liquidating Trust (the “Liquidating Trust”), and the declaration of Yaron Sha-ham (the “Shaham Declaration,” Obj. Ex. 3-B), co-counsel for the Liquidating Trust.

Rozier filed an opposition to the Objection (the “Opposition,” ECF Doc. # 7620), supported by a declaration (the “Rozier Declaration,” Opp. Ex. A). Rozier also filed two motions to strike (the “Motions to Strike”): (1) Rozier’s motion to strike the [31]*31Shaham Declaration (the “Shaham Motion to Strike,” Opp. Ex. B); and (2) Rozier’s motion to strike the Horst Declaration (the “Horst Motion to Strike,” Opp. Ex. C).1

The Trust filed a reply (the “Reply,” ECF Doc. # 7655) and an objection to Rozier’s Motions to Strike (the “Strike Objection,” ECF Doc. # 7654). Additionally, the Trust filed a supplemental declaration of Deanna Horst (the “Supplemental Horst Declaration,” ECF Doc. # 7658), correcting certain errors made in the Horst Declaration, and submitting a corrected exhibit to the Objection. Rozier filed an objection to the Trust’s Reply (the “Reply Objection,” ECF Doc. # 7670), arguing that she was prejudiced by the fact that the Reply was filed less than 48 hours before the scheduled October 22, 2014 hearing (the “Hearing”). The Court heard argument on the Objection and ordered the Trust to file a supplemental declaration addressing one of the exhibits submitted in support of the Trust’s Objection. (See Oct. 22, 2014 Hrg. Tr. 44:1-4, ECF Doc. #7686.) The Court also gave Rozier the opportunity to file supplemental papers. (See id. 44:6-21.) Thereafter, the Trust filed the second supplemental declaration of Deanna Horst (the “Second Supplemental Horst Declaration,” ECF Doc. # 7679), and Rozier filed a supplemental opposition and declaration (the “Supplemental Opposition,” ECF Doc. # 7730).

A. Procedural History

On My 14, 2012 (the “Petition Date”), each of the Debtors filed a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. The general bar date to file proofs of claim was originally set as November 9, 2012, and was extended to November 16, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. (Prevailing Eastern Time) (ECF Doc. #2093). The Claims were timely filed on November 12, 2012.

B. Factual Background

1. Rozier’s Loan History

On December 23, 2005, Rozier executed a $576,000 note in favor of WMC (the “Loan” or the “Note,” Obj. Ex. 3-A.l), secured by a mortgage and deed of trust (the “Deed of Trust,” Obj. Ex. 3-A.2) on real property located at 7957 Dahlia Circle, Buena Park, California, 90620 (the “Property”). (Horst Decl. ¶ 11.) Westwood Associates (“Westwood”) was the trustee of the Deed of Trust, which named Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (“MERS”) as the beneficiary. (Id.) Rozier subsequently obtained a second loan in the amount of $144,000, secured by another deed of trust.2 (Id.)

On May 22, 2006, Rozier entered into a modification of the Note with WMC, reducing Rozier’s monthly payments, interest rate, and first change date (the “Modification of Note”). (Id. ¶ 13.) She signed the Modification of Note after receiving a letter from WMC (the “Notice of Right to Cancel,” Obj. Ex. 3-A.3), dated February 24, 2006, notifying her that WMC did not provide a TILA disclosure statement with respect to her Loan. (See Horst Decl. ¶ 12.) The Notice of Right to Cancel informed Rozier that she had the option to rescind the Note, which she exercised on February 28, 2006. (See id.; “Rozier Rescission Letter,” Obj. Ex. 3-A.4.) On May 5, 2006, WMC sent Rozier a letter (the “WMC Rescission Response,” Ex. 3-A.5), acknowledging its receipt of the Rozier Rescission Letter, and providing Rozier with the options of tendering the amount

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In re Residential Capital, LLC, 523 B.R. 24, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 5114, 2014 WL 7331059 (N.Y. 2014).

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