McNeely v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

115 F. Supp. 3d 779, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 96567, 2015 WL 4506556
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. West Virginia
DecidedJuly 24, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 2:13-cv-25114
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 115 F. Supp. 3d 779 (McNeely v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McNeely v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 115 F. Supp. 3d 779, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 96567, 2015 WL 4506556 (S.D.W. Va. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER

JOSEPH R. GOODWIN, District Judge.

Pending before the court is defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment [Docket 48]. The Motion, having been fully briefed by the parties, is now ripe for review. Based on the reasoning set forth below, the Motion is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

I. Background

In November 2006, the plaintiffs, Lisa and Michael McNeely, purchased a home using two home-secured mortgages, each governed by a Deed of Trust and held by Defendant Wells' Fargo. (Am. Compl. [Docket 37] ¶¶ 3, 5). Ms. McNeely is the borrower listed on both of the mortgages. (See Exs. A & B, Adjustable Rate Note & Deed of Trust (“First Loan”) [Dockets 481, 48-2]; Exs. E & F, Note & Deed of Trust (“Second Loan”) [Dockets 48-5, 48-6]). Defendant Nationstar Mortgage, LLC, is the servicer of the mortgages and charged various fees. to Ms. McNeefys accounts throughout the servicing of her loans. (Am. Compl. [Docket 37] ¶¶ 14-17). Additionally, Nationstar and Ms. McNeely agreed to modify the interest rate on the First Loan three times between November 2008 and June 2010. (Id ¶ 7).

- When the plaintiffs divorced in November 2011, Mr. McNeely-was awarded the home and responsibility for the mortgage-payments. (Id ¶6). Mr. McNeely contacted Nationstar for assistance with making the mortgage payments after his coal truck business went bankrupt in. September 2012. (Id ¶ 8(a)). Nationstar suggested that Mr. McNeely apply for a loan modification and sent him a loan modification package. (Id ¶ 8(b); see also Ex. J, Letter from Nationstar to Lisa McNeely (Sept. 8, 2012) [Docket 48-10] (loan modification package)). Mr. McNeely submitted the required documentation to Nationstar orí September 10, 2012. (Am. Compl. [Docket 37] It 9). Two days later, Nations-' tar asked for supplementary forms to reflect Mr. McNeely’s sources of income, including a tax release form, Form 4056-T. (Ex. L, Letter from .Nationstar to Lisa McNeely (Sept. 12, 2012) [Docket 48-12] [783]*783(requesting additional documents)). Mr. McNeely faxed the requested form on September 20, 2012. (Am. Compl. [Docket 37] ¶ 11(b)). Nationstar asked Mr. McNeely to submit the form again on September 27,2012, because Ms. McNeely had not signed it. (Id. ¶ 11(c); see also Ex. K, Collection History Profile [Docket 48-11], at 113).

On November 6, 2012, Nationstar informed Mr. McNeely via telephone that it had all necessary documents and would "evaluate his request' for loan modification in about a week.” (Am. Compl. [Docket 37] ¶ 12(a)). Accordingly, Mr. McNeely checked in with Nationstar a week later but was told that a decision would not be made on his request for another three' to four weeks. (Id. ¶ 12(b)). In December 2012, Nationstar asked Mr. McNeely for additional quarterly profit and loss statements, further delaying the loan modification process. (Id. ¶ 12(d)).1 Eventually, Mr. McNeely’s loan modification application expired. (Id. ¶ 12(e)).2

On August 30, 2013, the plaintiffs'filed suit in state court against Nationstar and Wells Fargo (collectively, “defendants”), alleging that Nationstar’s conduct in servicing the mortgage loans and loan modification request was in violation of West Virginia law and caused them to suffer “annoyance, inconvenience, and fear of loss of home.” (Id. ¶ 18). The defendants removed the case to federal court on October 10, 2013, based on diversity jurisdiction. (Notice of Removal [Docket i], at 2-8). Upon the defendants’ Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, I dismissed four of the five claims in the plaintiffs’ original complaint, (Mem. Op. & Order [Docket 23]), and then allowed the plaintiffs’ to amend pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15, (Mem. Op. & Order [Docket 35]). The plaintiffs’ Amended Complaint, filed on April 2, 2015, states three causes of action: illegal debt collection in violation of West Virginia Code §§ 46A-2-127 and - 128 (Count I); assessing or threatening to assess illegal fees in violation of West Virginia Code §§ 46A-2-127(g), -115, and.-128 • (Count, II); and breach of contract (Count III). (Am. Compl. [Docket 37] ¶¶ 19-29). The defendants now move for summary, judgment on each’ claim.

II. Legal Standard

_ To obtain summary judgment, the moving party must show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). In considering a motion for summary judgment, the court will not “weigh the evidence arid determine the truth of the matter.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Instead, the court will draw any permissible inference from the underlying' facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587-88, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986).

Although the court will view all underlying facts and inferences in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, the non-moving party nonetheless must offer some “coricrete evidence from which a reasonable juror could return a verdict in his [or [784]*784her] favor.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 256, 106 S.Ct. 2505. Summary judgment is appropriate when the nonmoving party has the burden of proof on an essential element of his or her case and does not make, after adequate time for discovery, a showing sufficient to establish that element. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett; 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The nonmoving party must satisfy this burden of proof by offering more than a mere “scintilla of evidence” in support of his or her position. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505. Likewise, eonclusory allegations or unsupported speculation, without more, are insufficient to preclude the granting of a summary judgment motion. See Dash v. Mayweather, 731 F.3d 303, 311 (4th Cir.2013).

III. Discussion

The defendants assert four grounds for summary judgment: (1) Mr. McNeely lacks standing to bring these claims; (2) the claims are not supported by the facts; (3) no damages have been suffered as a result of the defendants’ alleged conduct; and (4) the damages, if any, are barred by the defendants’ right to recoupment.. I address each argument in turn.

A. Standing

1. West Virginia Consumer Credit Protection Act (Counts I and ID"

First, the defendants argue that Mr. McNeely lacks standing to bring Counts I and II, which arise under the West Virginia Consumer Credit Protection Act (“WVCCPA”), because the WVCCPA only provides for private suits by “consumers.” In the defendants’ view, Mr. McNeely, who is not a party to any loan agreement with Nationstar, is not a “consumer” as defined by the Act.

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Bluebook (online)
115 F. Supp. 3d 779, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 96567, 2015 WL 4506556, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcneely-v-wells-fargo-bank-na-wvsd-2015.