Marchese v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

917 F. Supp. 2d 452, 2013 WL 136427, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3349
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedJanuary 8, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. GLR-12-1480
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 917 F. Supp. 2d 452 (Marchese v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marchese v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 917 F. Supp. 2d 452, 2013 WL 136427, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3349 (D. Md. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

GEORGE L. RUSSELL, III, District Judge.

THIS MATTER is before the Court on three pending motions, including Defendant JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.’s (“Chase”) Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff Dean C. Marchese’s four-count Complaint for failure to state a claim pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) (ECF No. 11); Mr. Marchese’s Motion to Remand (ECF No. 13); and Chase’s Motion for Leave to File Surreply to Motion to Remand (ECF No. 24).

This is a home mortgage lending case in which Mr. Márchese alleges that Chase violated Maryland state consumer protection laws by committing mortgage fraud during the foreclosure, modification, and reinstatement of his home mortgage loan. Mr. Márchese also contends that the curative Maryland statute, that retroactively corrects the otherwise void power of sale clause in his deed of trust (“DOT”), is unconstitutional.

All told, the Complaint implicates the following four provisions of Maryland state law: (1) Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act (“MCDCA”), Md.Code Ann., Com. Law §§ 14-201 et seq. (West 2012); (2) Maryland Consumer Protection Act (“MCPA”), Md.Code Ann., Com. Law §§ 13-101 et seq. (West 2012); (3) Maryland Mortgage Fraud Protection Act (“MMFPA”), Md.Code Ann., Real Prop. §§ 7-401 et seq. (West 2012); and (4) Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 4-109 (West 2012).

The six issues before the Court are (1) whether the amount in controversy is sufficient to establish federal diversity jurisdiction over this action; (2) whether Chase’s surreply is necessary to the Court’s decision regarding Mr. Marchese’s Motion to Remand; (3) whether Mr. Márchese set forth a plausible claim that Chase acted improperly as a debt collector in the foreclosure action under the MCDCA; (4) whether Mr. Márchese set forth a plausible claim that Chase (a) engaged in unfair or deceptive practices in the extension of credit or the collection of consumer debts under the MCPA, and (b) sufficiently pled damages related to this claim; (5) whether loan servicing, particularly loan collection, is regulated by the MMFPA, and whether Mr. Márchese sufficiently pled damages related to this claim; and (6) whether Mr. Márchese has standing to seek declaratory and injunctive relief regarding the consti[457]*457tutionality of amendments to Md.Code Ann., Real Prop. § 4-109 (West 2012); The issues have been fully briefed and no hearing is necessary. See Local Rule 105.6 (D.Md. 2011). For the reasons that follow, Chase’s Motion to Dismiss will be granted as to Count I, granted as to the foreclosure action referenced in Counts II and III, but denied with respect to the loan modification and reinstatement referenced in Counts II and III. Additionally, Chase’s request for declaratory judgment will be denied, but Count IV will be dismissed sua sponte for lack of standing. Finally, Mr. Marchese’s Motion to Remand will be denied, and Chase’s Motion for Leave to File a Surreply will be denied.

I. BACKGROUND1

On July 28, 1999, Mr. Márchese purchased real property at 10017 Prestwich Terrace in Ijamsville, Maryland (the “Property”) for $359,091. (See Def.’s Mem. Supp. Mot. to Dismiss [“Def.’s Mot.”] at 2, ECF No. 11). Mr. Márchese subsequently refinanced the Property on six occasions, which resulted in two deeds of trust in the aggregate principal amount of $729,100.

In March 2006, Mr. Márchese refinanced his existing home mortgage with a new lender, Steward Financial, Inc. Steward Financial’s trustee named on the contract was a corporate entity, not a natural person. The mortgage loan on the Property is serviced by Chase. This most recent loan reflects the first and only relevant DOT for purposes of these motions, totaling $634,000.2 After Mr. Márchese fell behind on his mortgage payments, Chase, by and through the law firm of Bierman, Geesing, Ward, and Wood, LLC (“Substitute Trustees”), initiated foreclosure on the Property on June 5, 2009 (the “Foreclosure Action”).3 (Def.’s Mot. at 3). Consequently, Mr. Márchese sought a modification of his mortgage under the Home Affordable Modification Program (“HAMP”).4 (See Def.’s Mot. Ex. E, at 2).

On July 11, 2009, Chase and Mr. Márchese entered into a trial period loan modification plan (“Trial Period Plan”). The Trial Period Plan indicated that Mr. Márchese was expected to make reduced mortgage payments from July 1, 2009, through September 1, 2009. (Def.’s Mot. Ex. E, at 2). If he complied with the terms of the Trial Period Plan and his representations made therein remained true in all material aspects, Chase would provide him with a Home Affordable Modification Agreement (“Modification Agreement”) for his signature. (Id.)

[458]*458Mr. Márchese made all three trial payments required by the Trial Period Plan from July 13, 2009, through September 1, 2009;5 however, for unknown reasons, Chase did not provided him with a Modification Agreement for his signature, and he continued making modified payments, accepted by Chase, under the terms of the Trial Period Plan through April 1, 2010. On March 10, 2010, the Foreclosure Action was dismissed without prejudice. (Def.’s Mot. Ex. D, at 2, 4). On April 29, 2010, Chase informed Mr. Márchese that he needed more income to qualify for a permanent loan modification. Accordingly, on May 5, 2010, Chase notified Mr. Márchese that it would no longer honor his Trial Period Plan and that he would need to reapply for a loan modification.

On May 12, 2010, Mr. Márchese reapplied for a loan modification and provided the requested information. He alleges that the Substitute Trustees ignored his application and, instead, “proceeded to institute bogus foreclosure proceedings.” (Compl. ¶ 32). The state docket does not, however, reflect the initiation of any formal foreclosure actions against Mr. Márchese after March 10, 2010.

Thereafter, on October 1, 2010, Mr. Márchese made two good faith payments in the amounts of $3,608.39 and $4,078.75, but Chase refused to accept those payments.6 In October 2010, Mr. Marchese requested a reinstatement amount from the Substitute Trustees, and they provided him with a written reinstatement quote on October 27, 2010. The reinstatement quote provided that the loan could be reinstated until November 11, 2010, for a payment of $65,466.64.

On November 9, 2010, pursuant to the reinstatement quote, Mr. Marchese sent a cashier’s check of certified funds in the amount of $65,466.64, via USPS certified mail, payable to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. The Substitute Trustees accepted the funds. Nevertheless, on November 22, 2010, Chase returned the certified funds to Mr. Marchese, indicating that the funds were insufficient to cure the default. Mr. Marchese subsequently contacted Chase who confirmed that the reinstatement sum was correct. Additionally, during a phone conversation on November 23, 2010, the Substitute Trustees told Mr. Marchese that Chase verified the reinstatement quote.

Later, at an undetermined date, Mr.

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917 F. Supp. 2d 452, 2013 WL 136427, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3349, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marchese-v-jpmorgan-chase-bank-na-mdd-2013.