Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB v. Garza (In re Garza)

577 B.R. 258
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedNovember 9, 2017
DocketCASE NO: 15-80446; ADVERSARY NO. 17-8006
StatusPublished

This text of 577 B.R. 258 (Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB v. Garza (In re Garza)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB v. Garza (In re Garza), 577 B.R. 258 (Tex. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Marvin Isgur, UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY JUDGE

Wilmington Savings Fund Society filed a motion for summary judgment to determine the validity and extent of the Deed of Trust it holds on real property now owned by Enrique and Shannon Garza. Wilmington’s motion for summary judgment is granted.

Background

The Garzas purchased a home located at 8210 Piping Rock Street in Baytown, Texas, on November 9, 2007. (Case No. 15-80446, ECF No. 56 at 3). To finance their purchase, the Garzas executed a Note for $275,998.00 secured by both a Vendor’s Lien on the property’s warranty deed and a Deed of Trust in favor of Countrywide Bank. (Case No. 80446, ECF No. 56 at 3-4; ECF No. 26-1 at 1). The Deed of Trust contained an acceleration clause that allowed the lender to demand the right to payment in full in case of default and invoke the power of sale if a default was not cured. (See ECF No. 26-1 at 11-12). Countrywide subsequently assigned the Note to Bank of America in September 2011; Bank of America assigned the Note to Wilmington in February 2016. (ECF No. 26-1 at 19-21).

On April 12, 2011, Bank of America’s loan servicer, BAC Home Loans Servicing, sent the Garzas notice that they were in default of their loan obligations and that Bank of America was exercising its right of acceleration under the Deed of Trust. (ECF No. 26-1 at 30). However, a few months later, the law firm representing BAC and Bank of America sent notice to the Garzas that Bank of America was rescinding its election to accelerate the Deed of Trust on October 14, 2011. (ECF No. 26-1 at 34). Copies of this letter regarding the acceleration rescission were sent to the Garzas at their Piping Rock address via regular and certified mail. (ECF No. 29-1 at 42). Subsequently, in November 2011, the Garzas claim that they received another notice of acceleration sent on Bank of America’s behalf. (ECF No. 28 at 1).

Under the Deed of Trust, the Garzas would be released from the security instrument once the amount borrowed was fully repaid. (ECF No. 1-1 at 18). On August 29, 2012, a release of lien was recorded in Chambers County reflecting that the Garzas had satisfied their repayment obligations and Bank of America received full value for the loan it provided. (ECF No. 1-1 at 26). However, in August of 2015, a rescission of this release was filed in Chambers County claiming that the original release of hen was improperly recorded due to an inadvertence or mistake. (ECF No. 1-1 at 27-29).

The Garzas filed a chapter 13 bankruptcy petition in December 2015, which led to this adversary proceeding regarding the status of the Deed of Trust securing their home. (See Case No. 15-80446 ECF No. 1). The Garzas claim that the security interest is no longer enforceable because Bank of America accelerated its hen but failed to foreclose on the property in the required time. (ECF No. 14 at 1). Wilmington argues that the acceleration was properly abandoned and that it retained the right to enforce its security interest; it is entitled to a judgment which judicially rescinds the release or hen recorded in August 2012; and a claim for trespass to try title. (ECF No. 26 at 5-7).

Jurisdiction

The district court has original jurisdiction over this proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 1384(a). This is a core proceeding under 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A), (B), and (O).

Summary Judgment

“The court shah grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a); Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7056 (incorporating Rule 56 in adversary proceedings). A party seeking summary judgment must .demonstrate the absence of a genuine dispute of material fact by establishing the absence of evidence to support an essential element of the non-movant’s case. Sossamon v. Lone Star State of Tex., 560 F.3d 316, 326 (5th Cir. 2009). A genuine dispute of material fact is one that could affect the outcome of the action or allow a reasonable fact finder to find in favor of the non-moving party. Gorman v. Verizon Wireless Texas, L.L.C., 753 F.3d 165, 170 (5th Cir. 2014) (citing Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986)).

A court views the facts and evidence in the light most favorable to the non-moving party at all times. Ben-Levi v. Brown, — U.S. —, 136 S.Ct. 930, 194 L.Ed.2d 231 (2016). Nevertheless, the Court is not obligated to search the . record for the non-moving party’s evidence. Keen v. Miller Envtl. Grp., Inc., 702 F.3d 239, 249 (5th Cir. 2012). “Summary judgment may not be thwarted by conclusional allegations, unsupported assertions, or presentation of only a scintilla of evidence.” Hemphill v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 805 F.3d 535, 538 (5th Cir. 2015), cert. denied, — U.S. —, 136 S.Ct. 1715, 194 L.Ed.2d 811 (2016).

A party asserting that a fact cannot be or is genuinely disputed must support the assertion by citing to particular parts of materials in the record, showing that the materials cited do not establish the absence or presence of a genuine dispute, or showing that an adverse party cannot pro-duee admissible evidence to support the fact. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)(1). The Court need consider only the cited materials, but it may consider other materials in the record. Fed, R. Civ. P. 56(c)(3). The Court should not weigh the evidence. Wheat v. Fla. Par. Juvenile Justice Comm’n, 811 F.3d 702, 713 (5th Cir. 2016). A credibility determination may not be part of the summary judgment analysis. E.E.O.C. v. LHC Grp., Inc., 773 F.3d 688, 694 (5th Cir. 2014). However, a party may object that the material cited to support or dispute a fact cannot be presented in a form that would be admissible in evidence. Fed. R. Civ. P. 66(c)(2). Moreover, the Court is not bound to search the record for the non-moving party’s evidence of material issues. Willis v. Cleco Corp., 749 F.3d 314, 317 (5th Cir. 2014).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Condrey v. Suntrust Bank of GA
431 F.3d 191 (Fifth Circuit, 2005)
Duffie v. United States
600 F.3d 362 (Fifth Circuit, 2010)
Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Keen v. Miller Environmental Group, Inc.
702 F.3d 239 (Fifth Circuit, 2012)
Sossamon v. Lone Star State of Texas
560 F.3d 316 (Fifth Circuit, 2009)
Murray v. Crest Construction, Inc.
900 S.W.2d 342 (Texas Supreme Court, 1995)
State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. Gandy
925 S.W.2d 696 (Texas Supreme Court, 1996)
Gregory Willis v. Cleco Corporation
749 F.3d 314 (Fifth Circuit, 2014)
Amy Gorman v. Verizon Wireless Texas, L.L.C., et a
753 F.3d 165 (Fifth Circuit, 2014)
Gary Leonard v. Ocwen Loan Servicing, L.L.C
616 F. App'x 677 (Fifth Circuit, 2015)
G.T. Leach Builders, LLC v. Sapphire V.P., Lp
458 S.W.3d 502 (Texas Supreme Court, 2015)
Hemphill v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
805 F.3d 535 (Fifth Circuit, 2015)
Charles Boren v. US National Bank Associati
807 F.3d 99 (Fifth Circuit, 2015)
Wheat v. Florida Parish Juvenile Justice Commission
811 F.3d 702 (Fifth Circuit, 2016)
Ben-Levi v. Brown
136 S. Ct. 930 (Supreme Court, 2016)
Khan v. GBAK Properties, Inc.
371 S.W.3d 347 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
577 B.R. 258, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilmington-savings-fund-society-fsb-v-garza-in-re-garza-txsb-2017.