Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Miceli

46 Pa. D. & C.5th 204
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Carbon County
DecidedDecember 29, 2014
DocketNo. 13-2051
StatusPublished

This text of 46 Pa. D. & C.5th 204 (Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Miceli) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Carbon County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Miceli, 46 Pa. D. & C.5th 204 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

Opinion

NANOVIC, P.J.,

Plaintiff seeks summary judgment in this suit to foreclose on a residential mortgage executed by defendant. For the reasons which follow, plaintiff’s motion will be granted.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On March 24, 2008, defendant, Jacqueline Miceli, borrowed $232,000.00 from Wachovia Mortgage, FSB (“Wachovia”), mortgaging her home at 255 Brittany Drive, Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, as security. This loan was evidenced by a fixed rate mortgage note (“note”) and first lien mortgage (“mortgage”) of the same date, both of which named Wachovia as the lender. Under the note, defendant was obligated to make specified [206]*206monthly payments on or before the first day of each calendar month, with the first payment due on May 1, 2008. Plaintiff, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (“Wells Fargo”), is the successor by merger to Wachovia.

On October 8, 2013, plaintiff filed a complaint in mortgage foreclosure against defendant alleging, inter alia, that the mortgage was in default for failing to pay all monthly mortgage payments beginning with the payment due January 1, 2013, and seeking an in rem judgment against the mortgaged premises. Defendant filed preliminary objections on October 29, 2013. On November 15, 2013, plaintiff filed an amended complaint asserting substantially the same claims as in the original complaint. Defendant filed her answer and new matter on December 19, 2013, to which plaintiff filed a reply on January 7,2014.

On March 14, 2014, plaintiff filed a verified motion for summary judgment (“motion”), alleging that there are no genuine issues of material fact as defendant’s general and/or ineffective denials are deemed to be admissions under the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. The motion was supported by plaintiff’s vice president of loan documentation’s affidavit attesting that defendant owes $283,284.88 on the mortgage, plus per diem interest in the amount of $55.21 accruing from February 14, 2014, forward. Attached to the motion and incorporated by reference were copies of various documents marked as supporting exhibits.

Defendant filed an unverified response in opposition to the motion on April 17,2014, wherein defendant disputed (1) that there are no genuine issues of material fact; (2) that plaintiff is the current holder of the note and entitled [207]*207to enforce the mortgage;1 (3) that plaintiff complied with the notice requirements of Act 6, 41 P.S. § 403(a), and Act 91, 35 P.S. §1680.401c, before commencing its suit; and (4) that plaintiff has complied with the guidelines of the federal Home Affordable Modification Program (“HAMP”).

In response to defendant’s fourth claim, plaintiff argued it had complied with the HAMP guidelines but that defendant failed to make application for a mortgage modification under HAMP. Additionally, on June 20, 2014, plaintiff filed a second affidavit attaching copies of two HAMP solicitation letters it sent to defendant on February 26, 2013, and April 30, 2013, respectively, and asserting that because defendant failed to formally apply for assistance, there was no active review for HAMP and no HAMP denial letter. The parties presented oral argument before this court on June 13, 2014.

DISCUSSION

Before analyzing each of the parties’ contentions, we note the standard for summary judgment. When deciding a motion for summary judgment, we “examine the record, which consists of all pleadings, as well as any depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions, affidavits, and expert reports, in a light most favorable to the non-moving party, and [the court] resolves all doubts as to the existence of a genuine issue of material fact against the moving party.” LJL Transp., Inc. v. Pilot Air [208]*208Freight Corp., 962 A.2d 639, 647 (Pa. 2009); Pa.R.C.P. 1035.1. We are to enter summary judgment under two circumstances. First, “whenever there is no genuine issue of any material fact as to a necessary element of the cause of action or defense.” Pa.R.C.P. 1035.2(1). Second, “if, after the completion of discovery relevant to the motion, including the production of expert reports, an adverse party who will bear the burden of proof at trial has failed to produce evidence of facts essential to the cause of action or defense.” Pa.R.C.P. 1035.2(2). “Thus, a record that supports summary judgment either (1) shows the material facts are undisputed or (2) contains insufficient evidence of facts to make out a prima facie cause of action or defense.” Petrina v. Allied Glove Corp., 46 A.3d 795, 798 (Pa. Super. 2012) (quoting Chenot v. A.P. Green Servs., 895 A.2d 55, 61 (Pa. Super. 2006)). Amotion for summary judgment is based on an evidentiary record that entitles the moving party to a judgment as a matter of law. See Fine v. Checcio, 870 A.2d 850 (Pa. 2005); Pa. R.C.P. 1035.2.

The burden of proving that there exists no genuine issue of material fact is upon the moving party. Kafando v. Erie Ceramic Arts Co., 764 A.2d 59, 61 (Pa. Super. 2000). Furthermore, the court may not consider any assertion of fact made by a party that is not supported by the record. Scopel v. Donegal Mut. Ins. Co., 698 A.2d 602, 606 (Pa. Super. 1997) (citing Erie Idem. Co. v. Coal Operators Case Co., 272 A.2d 465, 466-67 (Pa. 1971)). “Bold unsupported assertions of conclusory accusations cannot create genuine issues of material fact.” Botkin v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 907 A.2d 641, 647 (Pa. Super. 2006) (internal citation omitted).

In ruling on a motion for summary judgment, the court must restrict its review to material filed in support [209]*209of and in opposition to the motion, and to uncontroverted allegations in the pleadings. Overly v. Kass, 554 A.2d 970, 972 (Pa. Super. 1989); Washington Federal Savings & Loan Association v. Stein, 515 A.2d 980, 981 (Pa. Super. 1986). In opposing a motion for summary judgment on the basis of disputed issues of material fact, the non-moving party may not rely solely upon the averments contained in its pleadings, but must point to evidence in the record controverting the evidence cited in support of the motion, or challenge the credibility of witnesses testifying in support of the motion. Phaff v. Gerner, 303 A.2d 826, 829 (Pa.1973); Adamski v. Allstate Ins. Co., 738 A.2d 1033, 1035 (Pa. Super. 1999); Pa.R.C.P. 1035.3.

To be deemed a material fact, the fact must be both material in the sense of bearing on an essential element of the plaintiff’s claim and genuine in the sense that a reasonable jury could find in favor of the non-moving party. U.S. ex rel. Cantekin v. University of Pittsburgh, 192 F.3d 402, 408 (3d. Cir. 1999) (citing Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248-251. (1986)). A fact is material if it directly affects the disposition of the case. See Zuppo v.

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Bluebook (online)
46 Pa. D. & C.5th 204, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wells-fargo-bank-na-v-miceli-pactcomplcarbon-2014.