McDermott v. Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, P.C.

969 F. Supp. 2d 74, 2013 WL 4539071, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 120975
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedAugust 26, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 09-10159-MBB
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 969 F. Supp. 2d 74 (McDermott v. Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, P.C.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McDermott v. Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, P.C., 969 F. Supp. 2d 74, 2013 WL 4539071, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 120975 (D. Mass. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER RE: PLAINTIFF’S MOTION UNDER RULE 59(E) TO AMEND THE JUDGMENT RELATIVE TO THE FINDINGS AND RULINGS CONCERNING THE PRE-SUIT NOTICES UNDER G.L.C. 183A, § 6(C) (DOCKET ENTRY # 66); MOTION OF THE DEFENDANT, MARCUS, ERRICO, EMMER & BROOKS, P.C., FOR RECONSIDERATION AND/OR TO ALTER AND AMEND JUDGMENT (DOCKET ENTRY #68)

BOWLER, United States Magistrate Judge.

After a six day non-jury trial, this court issued findings and conclusions under Rule 52(a), Fed.R.Civ.P., (Docket Entry #63) and a final judgment (Docket Entry # 64). Both parties filed timely motions to alter or amend the judgment under Rule 59(e), Fed.R.Civ.P. (“Rule 59(e)”). (Docket Entry # # 66 & 68). After conducting a hearing, this court took the motions under advisement.

The two count complaint sets out violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1692 (“section [77]*771692”) in Count One and section nine of Massachusetts General Laws chapter 93A (“chapter 93A”) in Count Two. Although the multitude of alleged FDCPA violations required extensive findings and conclusions, plaintiff William. M. McDermott (“plaintiff’) eventually recovered $800.00 in statutory damages under Count One and $10,400.00 in damages under Count Two including prejudgment interest in the amount of $4,649.00.1

In seeking Rule 59(e) relief, defendant Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, P.C. (“MEEB”) requests reconsideration of the chapter 93A “trade or commerce” determination. It also argues that the untimely conduct under the FDCPA’s one year limitations period cannot serve as a predicate for a per se violation of chapter 93A. MEEB further seeks reconsideration of the determination that per se chapter 93A violations are not protected by the litigation privilege. MEEB maintains that the. litigation privilege is absolute and bars any liability under chapter 93A. As to the FDCPA, MEEB challenges the determinations that it violated section 1692i by filing suit in the wrong venue and section 1692c(b) by sending letters (Ex. 38, 42, 45, 47, 55, 59, 60 & 68) to plaintiff as opposed to his attorney. (Docket Entry # 74).

Plaintiff urges reconsideration of the finding that MEEB did not violate section 6(c) of Massachusetts General Laws chapter 183A (“chapter 183A”), the state condominium statute, when it failed to send notice of its intent to file suit at least 30 days in advance of filing suit to plaintiffs mortgagees. (Docket Entry # 67). Plaintiff asserts that this court erroneously determined that MEEB’s failure to provide the mortgagees with a letter 30 days before filing suit did not violate either section 1692f or section 1692d. Finally, plaintiff argues that he suffered actual damages in the form of increased attorneys’ fees and costs as a result of MEEB’s failure to notify the mortgagees 30 days in advance of filing suit.

BACKGROUND2

Plaintiff, a resident of the Pondview condominiums in Lynn, Massachusetts, filed this action alleging improper debt collection activities on two residential condominium units at the 19 unit complex against MEEB, a professional corporation of attorneys located in Braintree, Massachusetts. Plaintiff, plaintiffs brother and/or plaintiffs parents owned the units at various times and, except for a one year period, plaintiff resided in one of the units.3 Throughout the relevant time period, MEEB represented the Pondview Condominium Trust (“Pondview”) in its efforts to collect monies plaintiff owed for unpaid condominium assessments, loan payback charges,4 collection costs, including MEEB’s attorneys’ fees, and late fees.

Created under a September 1986 Declaration of Trust (Ex. B), Pondview is the governing body of the Pondview condominiums and consists of a group of volunteer trustees. The Declaration of Trust states that the trustees must be unit owners. (Ex. B).

[78]*78The Declaration of Trust gives the trustees the authority to determine the assessment- for each fiscal year and the unit owners’ “respective shares of such assessment, according to their percentages of interest in the common areas and facilities.”5 (Ex. B, Art. V, § 5.3(B)). The Declaration of Trust allows for monthly payment of the assessment and, “[i]f not paid when due, the amount ... shall constitute a lien on the unit.” (Ex. B, Art. V, § 5.3(B)).6 The Master Deed likewise provides that:

The Trustees in their discretion may enforce collection of unpaid assessments for common expenses plus interest thereof by enforcing the lien by a court action or by other lawful means on account of which there shall be added to the amount due and payable the reasonable costs of such collection including reasonable attorney fees.

(Ex. B, Art. V, § 5.3(C)).

In addition, the Master Deed submitted Pondview to the “provisions of Chapter 183A.” (Ex. C, p. 1); see Mass. Gen. L. ch. 183A, § 1 (defining “Master deed” as “the instrument by which the condominium is submitted to the provisions of this chapter”). The Declaration of Trust similarly grants the trustees the power “to exercise all of the powers of the ‘organization of unit owners’ pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 183A.” (Ex. B, Art. Ill, § 3.6). Under section six of chapter 183A, “The organization of unit owners may ... assess any fees, attorneys’ fees [and] late charges ... against the unit owner.” Mass. Gen. L. ch. 183A, § 6(a)(ii). In short, under chapter 183A, the Declaration of Trust and the Master Deed, Pond-view had the ability and the authority to assess condominium fees, attorneys’ fees, late charges and costs of collection against a unit owner such as plaintiff. See Mass. Gen. L. ch. 183A, § 6(a)(ii) & 6(b); (Ex. B, Art. V, § 5.3(C)).

In July and August of 2004, plaintiff fell behind in paying his assessments, late fees and loan payback charges for both units. Pondview did not hire or engage MEEB as its attorney, however, until March 2005. MEEB’s efforts to collect the debts plaintiff owed to Pondview continued through the fall of 2008. Plaintiffs failure to pay legitimately imposed charges led MEEB, on behalf of its client Pondview, to file two collection suits against plaintiff, as a unit owner, on April 28, 2005, in the Massachusetts District Court Department (Lynn Division) (“Lynn District Court”). MEEB filed these and an additional seven collection suits in Lynn District Court except for the last collection suit filed in September 2008 (“September 2008 unit 104 suit”) in the Massachusetts Superior Court Department (Essex County) (“Essex Superior Court”).7

Beginning in May 2005, MEEB also communicated with plaintiffs mortgagees without obtaining plaintiffs consent. Section six of chapter 183A imposes a requirement on a condominium association, such as Pondview, to send a letter to the owner of a unit when any portion of a unit own[79]*79er’s share of common expenses is delinquent for at least 60 days (“60 day letter”). Section six also requires Pondview to send the first mortgagee a 60 day letter and a notice 30 days in advance of filing suit of its intention to file suit (“30 day notice letter”) “provided that the first mortgagee has informed the condominium association of its name and mailing address.” Mass. Gen. L. ch. 183A, § 6(c).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
969 F. Supp. 2d 74, 2013 WL 4539071, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 120975, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcdermott-v-marcus-errico-emmer-brooks-pc-mad-2013.