Milam v. Selene Finance, LP

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedJuly 18, 2024
Docket1:24-cv-00317
StatusUnknown

This text of Milam v. Selene Finance, LP (Milam v. Selene Finance, LP) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Milam v. Selene Finance, LP, (N.D. Ill. 2024).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION

RAMONA MILAM, individually and on behalf ) of themselves and all others similarly situated, ) ) Plaintiff, ) No. 24 C 317 ) v. ) Hon. Virginia M. Kendall ) SELENE FINANCE, LP, ) ) Defendant. ) )

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER On April 2, 2024, Plaintiff Ramona Milam brought an Amended Complaint against Defendant Selene Finance, LP for claims arising under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (ICFA). (Dkt. 13); 15 U.S.C. § 1692; 815 ILCS 505/1. Milam also brought a state law claim of negligent misrepresentation. (Id.) Selene Finance now moves to dismiss the Amended Complaint for failure to state a claim. (Dkt. 16). For the following reasons, the motion to dismiss [16] is granted. BACKGROUND This case concerns Defendant Selene Finance LP’s alleged use of unfair debt collection practices when collecting upon residential mortgage loans. Plaintiff Ramona Milam owns a residential home in Chicago, Illinois. (Dkt. 13 ¶ 13). In 2005, Milam executed a mortgage in favor of the lender HBSC Mortgage Services, Inc. for her home. (Id. at ¶ 14). Selene Finance is a mortgage servicer for residential mortgage loans. (Id. at ¶ 21). In July 2021, Selene Finance acquired the servicing rights for Milam’s mortgage loan, which at the time was in default. (Id. at ¶¶ 18–19). Milam alleges that Selene Finance is neither the lender, assignee, nor successor in interest of her mortgage. (Id. at ¶ 16). After Milam’s loan became more than 45 days delinquent, Selene Finance sent her an “IL Final Letter.” (Id. at ¶ 25). Selene Finance sends the IL Final Letter each time an Illinois loan it

services becomes at least 45 days delinquent. (Id. at ¶ 27). The IL Final Letter informs the borrower that their loan is in default and the amount they are past due. (Dkt. 13-1 at 2). For example, for a loan in default as of March 1, 2023, Selene Finance sends an IL Final Letter to the borrower on April 17, 2023 stating in relevant part: To cure this default, you must pay all amounts due under the terms of your Note and Security Interest[.] . . . The total amount you must pay to cure the default stated above must be received by 05/22/2023 [35 days later]. Failure to cure the default on or before the date specified may result in acceleration of the sums secured by the Security Interest, sale of the property and/or foreclosure by judicial proceeding and sale of the property.

(Id.) Selene Finance sends the IL Final Letter pursuant to Milam’s mortgage, which states in relevant part: Acceleration; Remedies. Lender shall give notice to Borrower prior to acceleration following Borrower’s breach of any covenant or agreement in this Security Instrument . . . The notice shall specify: (a) the default; (b) the action required to cure the default; (c) a date, not less than 30 days from the date the notice is given to Borrower, by which the default must be cured; and (d) that failure to cure the default on or before the date specified in the notice may result in acceleration of the sums secured by this Security Instrument, foreclosure by judicial proceeding and sale of the Property. The notice shall further inform Borrower of the right to reinstate after acceleration . . . If the default is not cured on or before the date specified in the notice, Lender at its option may require immediate payment in full of all sums secured by this Security Instrument without further demand and may foreclose this Security Instrument by judicial proceeding.

(Dkt. 16-2 at 14, § 22). Milam’s mortgage also contains a notice and cure provision that states:

Neither Borrower nor Lender may commence, join, or be joined in any judicial action (as either an individual litigant or the member of a class) that arises from the other party’s actions pursuant to this Security Instrument or that alleges that the other party has breached any provision of, or any duty owed by reason of, this Security Instrument, until such Borrower or Lender has notified the other party (with such notice given in compliance with the requirements of Section 15) of such alleged breach and afforded the other party hereto a reasonable period after the giving of such notice to take corrective action.

(Dkt. 16-2 at 13, § 20). Further, Milam’s mortgage allows for “successor and assigns of Lender” to enforce the mortgage agreement. (Dkt. 16-2 at 11, § 13). Milam alleges that the IL Final Letter makes a false and coercive threat to accelerate her loan, creates a false sense of urgency, and causes “emotional distress and informational harm.” (Dkt. 13 ¶¶ 29, 35, 38–39, 60). Further, Milam alleges that the language threatens and intimidates borrowers into making payments to avoid acceleration and foreclosure. (Id. at ¶ 5). Milam notes that the IL Final Letter “technically complies with the Security Instrument.” (Id. at ¶ 36) (emphasis in original). Even so, it is a “material misstatement of [Selene’s] intentions” because “upon information and belief” Selene “will not accelerate borrowers’ loans and proceed to foreclosure” even if the borrower (1) fails to make a payment equal to the default amount; and (2) fails to make any payments coming due during the notice period. (Id. at ¶¶ 37, 42). In fact, Milam alleges that Selene Finance “maintains a practice” of not accelerating loans that are fewer than 120 days delinquent. (Id. at ¶¶ 43–46). By stating in the IL Final Letter that the recipient must make a “full payment of the default amount due” to avoid acceleration, Selene Finance causes borrowers to believe they will lose their homes, presents borrowers with a false ultimatum, threatens consumers, and causes borrowers to “send additional money to Selene” that they could have used on other necessary purchases. (Id. at ¶¶ 43, 47–54). Further, the Amended Complaint

alleges upon information and belief that Selene Finance engages in their conduct “knowingly, intentionally, and purposefully” to compel borrowers to pay money to Selene. (Id. at ¶ 56). Milam brought claims against Selene Finance alleging violation of the FDCPA, § 1692(e) (Counts I–III) and § 1692(f) (Count IV); the ICFA, 815 ILCS 505/1 (Count V); and negligent misrepresentation (Count VI). (Id. at ¶¶ 78–240). Milam also alleges that Selene Finance sent hundreds of other Illinois-based borrowers the IL Final Letter, forming a class of similarly situated individuals sharing common questions of law and fact in the adjudication of culpability and the assessment of damages. (Id. at ¶¶ 61–77). Selene Finance now moves to dismiss the Amended Complaint in full for failure to state a claim and failure to comply with the mortgage’s notice and

cure provision. (Dkt. 16). LEGAL STANDARD To survive a 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, the complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Russell v. Zimmer, Inc., 82 F.4th 564, 570 (7th Cir. 2023) (quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2)). Thus, “a plaintiff must allege ‘enough facts to state a claim that is plausible on its face.’ ” Allen v. Brown Advisory, LLC, 41 F.4th 843, 850 (7th Cir. 2022) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. (quoting Ashcroft v.

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Milam v. Selene Finance, LP, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/milam-v-selene-finance-lp-ilnd-2024.