Labrant v. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.

870 F. Supp. 2d 671, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48893, 2012 WL 1150879
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedApril 6, 2012
DocketCivil No. 11-3029 (JRT/LIB)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 870 F. Supp. 2d 671 (Labrant v. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Labrant v. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., 870 F. Supp. 2d 671, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48893, 2012 WL 1150879 (mnd 2012).

Opinion

ORDER ADOPTING REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

JOHN R. TUNHEIM, District Judge.

The above-entitled matter comes before the Court upon the Report and Recommendation of United States Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois, dated March 19, 2012 [Docket No. 38]. No objections have been filed to that Report and Recommendation in the time period permitted.

Based upon the Report and Recommendation of the Magistrate Judge, and all of the files, records and proceedings herein, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Defendants’ motions to dismiss [Docket Nos. 15 and 19] are GRANTED with prejudice.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

LEO I. BRISBOIS, United States Magistrate Judge.

This matter came before the undersigned United States Magistrate Judge upon Defendant CitiMortgage and Defendants Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., and PennyMac Loan Services, LLC’s motions to dismiss. The motions have been referred to the Magistrate Judge for report and recommendation pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1) and Local Rule 72.1. For the reasons outlined below, the Court recommends that Defendants’ motions be granted.

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiffs brought this action in Minnesota state court alleging the following [674]*674causes of action: 1) declaratory judgment to enforce an oral agreement; 2) declaratory judgment that Defendants failed to comply with Minn.Stat. Ch. § 580 regarding foreclosure; 3) injunctive relief seeking a tolling or extension of the right to redeem; 4) breach of mortgagee’s duty to act fairly and in good faith pursuant to Minn.Stat. § 580.11; 5) negligent misrepresentation; 6) promissory estoppel; and 7) unjust enrichment. (Compl. [Notice of Removal Docket No. 1, Ex. 1] ¶¶ 43-80).

In May of 2004, Plaintiffs purchased the property located at 16559 Sunset Trail, Pine City, Minnesota, 55053. (Id. ¶ 8). They executed a mortgage to the Prime Mortgage Corporation, which immediately transferred it to CitiMortgage, Inc. (CitiMortgage), and an accompanying note for $247,250.00. (Id. ¶¶ 10-11). Their monthly payment under the note was $1,350.00. (Id. ¶ 12).

Prior to their purchase of the property, Mr. LaBrant was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. (Id. ¶ 13). In the years after the purchase of the house, Plaintiffs encountered financial difficulties and medical bills in excess of $50,000.00. (Id. ¶¶ 17-18). They allege that they preemptively contacted CitiMortgage to request financial assistance, but that CitiMortgage informed them that until they defaulted on the mortgage, nothing could be done. (Id. ¶¶ 19-20).

In February of 2010, Plaintiffs missed their first mortgage payment on the property, which CitiMortgage treated as a default and notified Plaintiffs as such. (Id. ¶¶ 21-22). In the next several months, Plaintiffs attempted to secure a Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) loan modification from CitiMortgage. (Id. ¶23). Plaintiffs allege that during this process, “CitiMortgage informed Plaintiffs that upon receipt and review of a completed loan modification application CitiMortgage would offer Plaintiffs a modification.” (Id. ¶ 24). Plaintiffs also allege that “CitiMortgage continually misplaced Plaintiffs’ application materials, requiring Plaintiffs to resubmit information repeatedly.” (Id. ¶ 27). Plaintiffs do not allege, however, that any written modification or new agreement in writing was ever entered into with CitiMortgage.

Rather, in May of 2010, CitiMortgage transferred its servicing rights to Penny-Mac Loan Services, LLC (PennyMac), at which time PennyMac increased the monthly payment due from $1,350.00 to $1,600.00. (Id. ¶¶ 28-29). Though Plaintiffs continued negotiations with Penny-Mac in an attempt to refinance, “around July and August [of] 2010, [Plaintiffs] were told that a refinance would be impossible.” (Id. ¶ 30). PennyMac also allegedly refused to consider other alternatives to modify the payments due. (Id. ¶¶ 31-32).

Plaintiffs failed to continue making the monthly payments due, and on February 2, 2011, they were served with Notice of Foreclosure Sale. (Id. ¶ 34). On February 23, 2011, pursuant to Minn Stat. § 580.07, subd. 2, Plaintiffs purported to execute and file a Notice of Postponement, hoping to postpone the sale, and provided proof of the Notice to Shapiro & Zielke, LLP (Shapiro)-the attorneys assisting PennyMac in the foreclosure proceedings. (Id. ¶ 35, 36). From April of 2011 to August of 2011, Plaintiffs allege that they made numerous phone calls to PennyMac, who informed them that there was no sheriffs sale scheduled. (Id. ¶ 37). Plaintiffs allege that it was not until August of 2011 that Shapiro notified Plaintiffs that their Notice of Postponement had been denied because the property was not considered a homestead property and that the property had been sold at the original sale date on March 10, 2011. (Id. ¶ 38). Then, on September 1, 2011, although they were already aware that the property was sold, [675]*675Plaintiffs again contacted PennyMac who informed them that their records showed no sale was scheduled. (Id. ¶ 41).

II. DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS TO DISMISS

1. Standard of Review

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) allows a party to move to dismiss a claim if, on the pleadings, a party has failed to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. On a motion to dismiss, the Court must “accept all facts pled by the nonmoving party as true and draw all reasonable inferences from the facts in favor of the nonmovant.” Waldron v. Boeing Co., 388 F.3d 591, 598 (8th Cir.2004). Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2), a complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” This requires a Plaintiff to allege “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). The plaintiffs must “plead[ ] factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009).

“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 entitlement to relief requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955 (internal citations and quotations omitted). Plaintiffs factual allegations must be “enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Id. Courts must undertake the “context-specific task” of determining whether the plaintiffs’ allegations “nudge” their claims against each defendant “across the line from conceivable to plausible.” Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. at 1950-51 (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955).

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Bluebook (online)
870 F. Supp. 2d 671, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48893, 2012 WL 1150879, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/labrant-v-mortgage-electronic-registration-systems-inc-mnd-2012.