Prickett v. BAC Home Loans

946 F. Supp. 2d 1236, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71644, 2013 WL 2248135
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Alabama
DecidedMay 21, 2013
DocketNo. 2:12-cv-0826-LSC
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 946 F. Supp. 2d 1236 (Prickett v. BAC Home Loans) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Prickett v. BAC Home Loans, 946 F. Supp. 2d 1236, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71644, 2013 WL 2248135 (N.D. Ala. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

L. SCOTT COOGLER, District Judge.

I. Introduction

Before the Court is a Motion to Dismiss, filed by the defendant, Bank of America, N.A. (“BANA” or “Defendant”1). (Doc. 23.) The issues raised in Defendant’s motion have been fully briefed by all parties, and are now ripe for decision. For the reasons described below, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss is due to be GRANTED in part, DENIED in part, and partially DEFERRED to allow Plaintiffs an opportunity to amend their complaint.

II. Background

A. Procedural History

Charles and Tracy Prickett (“Plaintiffs”), along with four other unrelated couples, originally filed this action against BANA on March 14, 2012. (Doc. 1.) On June 4, 2012, BANA moved to dismiss every claim by all ten plaintiffs under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). [1240]*1240(Doc. 4.) Before ruling on BANA’s motion, the Court determined, after seeking input from the parties, that the ten plaintiffs were improperly joined under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 20(a). Accordingly, the Court ordered the original action severed into five independent cases, mooted BANA’s first motion to dismiss, and instructed Plaintiffs to file an amended complaint setting out only their individualized claims for relief. (Doc. 14.) Pursuant to the Court’s directive, Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on January 14, 2013 (the “Complaint”). (Doc. 22.) In the Complaint, Plaintiffs allege that after they defaulted or encountered difficulties meeting obligations on their mortgage, BANA improperly serviced their loan and defectively processed their modification application. Based on these alleged improprieties, Plaintiffs assert nine separate causes of action: (1) wrongful foreclosure, (2) slander of title, (3) wantonness, (4) fraud/intentional misrepresentation, (5) breach of contract, (6) negligence per se, (7) breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, (8) unjust enrichment, and (9) violation of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq. (“FDCPA”). BANA renewed its Motion to Dismiss on February 13, 2013, asking the Court to dismiss all nine claims for relief set out in the Complaint. (Doc. 23.)

B. Facts2

Plaintiffs purchased their home at some point in 2007. (Doc. 22, ¶ 20.) Athough the Complaint does not explicitly state that purchase was possible because of a mortgage loan secured by the property, the Court assumes as much since Plaintiffs allege they faithfully made their monthly mortgage payments for three years. (Id. ¶ 21.) In January 2010, Mr. Prickett was laid-off from his job as a result of the downturn in the economy. (Id. ¶ 22, 24.) Athough Plaintiffs made their January payment as scheduled, recognizing the potential financial impact of the job-loss, Plaintiffs quickly contacted BANA to seek assistance in meeting their mortgage obligations.3 (Id. ¶ 23.)

In February 2010, Plaintiffs were informed by a BANA representative over the phone that they qualified for a modification that would reduce their monthly mortgage payments by approximately $600, provided they successfully completed a trial plan. (Id. ¶ 25.) Athough the terms of the modification and trial plan were not immediately set out in writing, Plaintiffs began tendering reduced payment amounts to BANA in accordance with their understanding of the arrangement. (Id. ¶ 26-27.) In September 2010, Plaintiffs received four separate loan modification packets, which they filled out and returned to the bank. (Id. at 28.) Then, in October 2010, Plaintiffs received a letter stating that BANA had “received the last installment due under our Special Forbearance Agreement.” (Id. ¶ 29.) Plaintiffs later learned the “Special Forbearance Agreement” mentioned in the letter referred to the trial period of their loan modification. (Id. ¶ 29 n. 2.)

Plaintiffs tendered, and BANA accepted, the reduced loan payments for approximately sixteen months, through June 2011. (Id. ¶ 30.) In July 2011, Plaintiffs once again timely submitted their reduced payment, but this time BANA returned the [1241]*1241remittance. (Id) When Plaintiffs inquired about why the July payment was returned, they were informed that BANA’s records indicated that their loan was delinquent by $17,000. (Id ¶ 33.) They were also instructed that their home would be sold at a foreclosure sale unless the arrearage was paid in full. (Id) Upon further investigation, Plaintiffs learned that BANA’s records indicated that no payment had been received for April 2010, and as a result, BANA alleged they had defaulted under the terms of the plan. (Id ¶ 37.) BANA additionally asserted that a letter was mailed to Plaintiffs in July 2010, stating that Plaintiffs’ loan modification was declined as a result of the default. (Id ¶ 35, 37.)

After Plaintiffs challenged the accuracy of BANA’s records, it was determined that Plaintiffs had in fact made the April 2010 payment, but that BANA erroneously failed to post the payment to Plaintiffs’ record. (Id ¶ 39.) Nonetheless, while BANA conceded its error, it maintained that Plaintiffs were still in default because they had not timely appealed the July 2010 letter stating their modification had been declined. (Id at 40.) Plaintiffs contend they never received the July 2010 letter. (Id ¶ 36.) Moreover, Plaintiffs assert that even if such letter had been mailed, it would have been inconsistent with the letter Plaintiffs received in October 2010, which informed them that they had satisfied their payment obligations under the plan. (Id) Unable to resolve the matter with the BANA, Plaintiffs filed the instant action.

III. Standard

A defendant may move to dismiss a complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) if the plaintiff has failed to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. “When considering a motion to dismiss, all facts set forth in the plaintiffs complaint ‘are to be accepted as true and the court limits its consideration to the pleadings and exhibits attached thereto.’ ” Grossman v. Nationsbank, N.A., 225 F.3d 1228, 1231 (11th Cir.2000) (quoting GSW, Inc. v. Long County, 999 F.2d 1508, 1510 (11th Cir.1993)). In addition, all “reasonable inferences” are drawn in favor of the plaintiff. St. George v. Pinellas County, 285 F.3d 1334, 1337 (11th Cir.2002).

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Bluebook (online)
946 F. Supp. 2d 1236, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71644, 2013 WL 2248135, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/prickett-v-bac-home-loans-alnd-2013.