Smith-Pena v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (In re Smith-Pena)

484 B.R. 512, 2013 WL 28696, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 8
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJanuary 2, 2013
DocketBankruptcy No. 11-17355-FJB; Adversary No. 11-01317
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 484 B.R. 512 (Smith-Pena v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (In re Smith-Pena)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith-Pena v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (In re Smith-Pena), 484 B.R. 512, 2013 WL 28696, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 8 (Mass. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

FRANK J. BAILEY, Bankruptcy Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The matter before me is the motion of the Defendant, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. [515]*515(“Wells Fargo”), to dismiss the Plaintiff-Debtor’s adversary proceeding pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6), made applicable to this proceeding by Fed. R. Bankr.P. 7012(b). The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b) and may enter final judgment pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(E) and LR, D. Mass. 201. For the reasons set forth below, I find that the Debtor has failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

II. FACTS and PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The parties appear to be in agreement as to all the facts relevant to deciding the present motion.1 The Debtor and her husband, Wesley A. Pena, have at all relevant times been the owners, as tenants by the entirety, of the real property located at 173 Lake Drive, Plymouth, Massachusetts (the “Property”). In 2006, they decided to enter into an agreement with New Century Mortgage Corporation (“New Century”) to refinance the Property (the “Transaction”). On April 3, 2006, Wesley signed an adjustable rate note (the “Note”) as “borrower” in favor of New Century. The Note states: “In return for a loan that I have received, I promise to pay U.S. $290,000 (this amount is called ‘Principal’), plus interest, to the order of Lender.” The Debtor did not sign the Note.

The same day Wesley signed the Note, both he and the Debtor signed a mortgage (the “Mortgage”). The Mortgage grants New Century, its successors and assigns, the power to sell the Property and, as such, secures:

(i) the repayment of the Loan, and all renewals, extensions and modifications of the Note; and (ii) the performance of Borrower’s covenants and agreements under this [Mortgage] and the Note.

The Mortgage defines the “Note” as “the promissory note signed by Borrower and dated April 3, 2006.” The “Loan” is “the debt evidenced by the Note.” The “covenants” the “Borrower” agrees to perform include (i) the payment of principal and [516]*516interest on the debt evidenced in the Note, (ii) payment of taxes, assessments, and other items which can attain priority over the Lender’s security interest, and (iii) maintenance and adequate insurance of the Property.

The Mortgage defines the “Borrower” as both the Debtor and Wesley. However, Section IB of the Mortgage entitled, “Joint and Several Liability; Co-signers; Successors and Assigns Bound” states:

[A]ny Borrower who co-signs the [Mortgage] but does not execute the Note (a “cosignor”): (a) is co-signing this [Mortgage] only to mortgage, grant and convey the cosigner’s interest in-the Property under the terms of this [Mortgage]; (b) is not personally obligated to pay the sums secured by this [Mortgage]; and (c) agrees that Lender and any other Borrower can agree to extend, modify, forbear or make any accommodations with regard to the terms of this [Mortgage] or the Note without the co-signer’s consent.

The Debtor and Wesley also signed two “Adjustable Rate Riders” (the “Riders”), which were “incorporated into and shall be deemed to amend and supplement the Mortgage, Deed of Trust, or Security Deed (the ‘Security Instrument’) of the same date given by the undersigned (‘Borrower’)” to secure repayment of the Note. The amendments contained within the Riders govern how the interest rate and monthly payment in the Note may change and what the Lender’s rights are in the event a Borrower transfers an interest in the Property. The Riders do not create any additional obligations.

On August 2, 2011, the Debtor filed a petition for relief under chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.2 Wells Fargo filed a proof of claim against the Debtor’s bankruptcy estate (the “Claim”). Appended to the Claim is an “Assignment of Deed of Trust” purporting to assign New Century’s interest in the Note and Mortgage to Wells Fargo. The Debtor objected to the Claim in her bankruptcy case and commenced the present adversary proceeding against Wells Fargo on November 3, 2011.

In her complaint, the Debtor seeks to rescind the Transaction that gave rise to Wells Fargo’s Claim pursuant to her rights under the Massachusetts Consumer Credit Cost Disclosure Act (the “MCCCDA”)3 and also seeks damages related thereto. The MCCCDA affords “ob-ligors” the right to rescind consumer credit transactions in certain circumstances and provides for damages as well as attorney’s fees in the event a lender fails to comply with its notice and disclosure requirements.4

In its motion to dismiss, Wells Fargo argues that, on the facts alleged, the Debtor is not an “obligor” and, consequently, has no rights under the MCCCDA.5 The Debtor maintains that [517]*517her role in the Transaction gave her a right to rescind. At a non-evidentiary hearing, the parties agreed the issue boils down to one of law: whether the Debtor is an “obligor” within the meaning of the MCCCDA and its accompanying regulations. For the reasons set forth below, I conclude that she is not and, therefore, that she has no claim under the MCCCDA for rescission or statutory damages arising from the transaction with New Century.

III. DISCUSSION

A. Governing Standard

“With certain exceptions not relevant here, a complaint only needs to contain ‘a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief/” Artuso v. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 637 F.3d 1, 4 (1st Cir.2011) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2)). To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to “state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)).

B. Applicable Law

The parties agree that the Transaction at issue in this case is a “consumer credit transaction” subject to the MCCCDA. The Massachusetts legislature enacted the MCCCDA to function as the State analog to the federal Truth in Lending Act (the “TILA”)6, and its provisions track those of the TILA nearly verbatim. These provisions are supported by a set of regulations, which appear in section 32 of title 209 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (209 Mass.Code Regs.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
484 B.R. 512, 2013 WL 28696, 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 8, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-pena-v-wells-fargo-bank-na-in-re-smith-pena-mab-2013.